Substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-A]pyridines, their preparation and their use as pharmaceuticals

ABSTRACT

This application relates to substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines of formula (I), compositions comprising them and their uses in the treatment of diseases and conditions in which inhibition of a bromodomain is indicated. For example, the application relates to substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines and to their use as bromodomain inhibitors. The present application is also related to the treatment or prevention of proliferative disorders, auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermal disorders, and neoplasms, including tumors and/or cancers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage application of International Application No. PCT/CA2017/050086 filed on Jan. 27, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/288,059 filed on Jan. 28, 2016, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field generally compounds, compositions and their uses in the treatment of diseases and conditions in which inhibition of bromodomains is indicated. For example, the application relates to substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines, to pharmaceutical compositions comprising the same, and to their use as bromodomain inhibitors. The present application is also related to the treatment or prevention of proliferative disorders, auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermal disorders, and neoplasms, including tumors and/or cancers.

BACKGROUND

Bromodomains are found in a variety of mammalian DNA-binding proteins. The bromodomain, which is the conserved structural module in chromatin-associated proteins and histone acetyltransferases, is known to recognize acetyl-lysine residues on proteins. Bromodomain inhibitors are believed to be useful in the treatment of a variety of diseases or conditions, such as cancer as well as chronic autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. There is therefore a need for compounds that could inhibit bromodomains.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, the present application relates to compounds of Formula I, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

wherein:

-   -   R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) and R^(b)         independently represent hydrogen or a linear or branched         C₁-C₆alkyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a         C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl, and R^(c) is         linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl, C₃-C₆cycloalkyl, C₆-C₁₀aryl, 3-7         membered heterocycloalkyl, 5-8 membered heteroaryl,         (C₃-C₆cycloalkyl)C₁-C₆alkyl, (3-7 membered         heterocycloalkyl)C₁-C₆alkyl, (C₆-C₁₀aryl)C₁-C₆alkyl or (5-8         membered heteroaryl)C₁-C₆ alkyl;     -   R² and R⁵ are each independently hydrogen, halogen, linear or         branched C₁-C₆alkyl, linear or branched C₁-C₆alkoxy, —C(O)R⁶,         —NH₂, —NHR⁶, —N(R⁶)(R^(6′)), —C(O)NH₂, —C(O)NH(R⁶),         —C(O)N(R⁶)(R^(6′)) or —NHC(O)R⁶;     -   one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen, halogen, a linear or branched         C₁-C₆alkyl, —C(O)R⁶, —NH₂, —NHR⁶, —N(R⁶)(R^(6′)), —C(O)NH₂,         —C(O)NH(R⁶), —C(O)N(R⁶)(R^(6′)) or —NHC(O)R⁶; and the other of         R³ and R⁴ is a group of Formula II:

-   -   wherein:     -   X¹, X² and X³ are each independently N or C, wherein when X¹, X²         or X³ is N, then the R⁷, R⁸ or R¹⁰ attached thereto is absent,         provided that at least two of X¹, X² and X³ is C;     -   R⁷, R⁸ and R¹⁰ are each independently hydrogen, halogen (such as         F, Cl), CN, linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl, C₃-C₆cycloalkyl,         —OR⁶, —SR⁶, —NHR⁶, —N(R⁶)(R^(6′)), —NHC(O)R⁶ or         —N(R⁶)C(O)R^(6′), provided that at least one of R⁷, R⁸ and R¹⁰         is other than hydrogen;     -   R⁹ is a C₁-C₃alkyl or C₃-C₅cycloalkyl group;     -   R⁶ and R^(6′), which are the same or different, represent a         linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl group;     -   and

each alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocycloalkyl and heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted.

In one embodiment, when a substituent in Formula I comprises an alkyl group, this group can be unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 3 groups being halogen, CN, alkoxy or haloalkoxy. In another embodiment, when a substituent in Formula I comprises a cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocycloalkyl and/or heteroaryl group, such group can be unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 groups being halogen, CN, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy.

According to another embodiment, the application relates to compounds of Formula III, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

-   -   wherein R¹, R³ and R⁴ are as defined herein.

In another embodiment, the present application relates to compounds of Formula IIIa, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

wherein R¹, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹ and R¹⁰ are as defined herein.

Another embodiment of the application relates to compounds of Formula IIIb, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

wherein R¹ is as defined herein.

Another aspect relates to pharmaceutical compositions, comprising a compound as defined in the present application, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient.

A further aspect relates to the use of a compound as defined in the present application, or such a compound for use, in the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated. Similarly, this aspect relates to the use of a compound of the present application in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated. This aspect also further relates to a method for treating a disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated, which comprises administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as herein defined. In one embodiment, the disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated is an auto-immune disorder, an inflammatory disorder (such as rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or psoriasis), a dermal disorder, or cancer (for instance, brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, or prostate cancer). For instance the disease or condition is brain cancer, such as glioblastoma multiforme.

According to a further aspect, the application relates to the use of a compound as herein defined, or such a compound for use, in the treatment of a disease or condition selected from auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermal disorders, and neoplasms. This aspect also relates to a method for the treatment or prevention of a disease or condition selected from auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermal disorders, and neoplasms, which comprises administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as herein defined. For instance, the inflammatory disorder is rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or psoriasis. For example, the disease or condition is a neoplasm which is brain cancer (e.g. glioblastoma multiforme), pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, or prostate cancer.

Hence, an aspect relates to the use of a compound as defined in the present application in the treatment of a disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated.

Another aspect relates to the use of a compound as defined in the present application in the manufacture of a medicament for the treatment of a disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated.

Another aspect relates to the use of a compound as defined in the present application for the treatment of a disease or condition selected from auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermal disorders, and neoplasms.

Another aspect relates to a method for treating a disease or condition for which a bromodomain inhibitor is indicated, which comprises administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined in the present application.

Another aspect relates to a method for inhibiting a bromodomain which comprises contacting the bromodomain with a compound as defined in the present application.

Another aspect relates to a method for the treatment of a disease or condition selected from auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disorders, dermal disorders, and neoplasms, which comprises administering to a subject in need thereof, a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined in the present application.

Additional objects and features of the present compounds, compositions, methods and uses will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of exemplary embodiments, which should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the invention.

DESCRIPTION

All technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one ordinary skilled in the art to which the present technology pertains. For convenience, the meaning of certain terms and phrases used herein are provided below.

To the extent the definitions of terms in the publications, patents, and patent applications incorporated herein by reference are contrary to the definitions set forth in this specification, the definitions in this specification control. The section headings used herein are for organizational purposes only, and are not to be construed as limiting the subject matter disclosed.

i. Definitions

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. It should be noted that, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural forms as well, unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to a composition containing “a compound” also contemplates a mixture of two or more compounds. It should also be noted that the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including”, “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description and/or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising”.

The term “about” or “approximately” means within an acceptable error range for the particular value as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art, which will depend in part on how the value is measured or determined, i.e., the limitations of the measurement system. For example, “about” can mean within 1 or more than 1 standard deviation, per the practice in the art. Alternatively, “about” can mean a range of up to 20%, preferably up to 10%, more preferably up to 5%, and more preferably still up to 1% of a given value. Alternatively, particularly with respect to biological systems or processes, the term can mean within an order of magnitude, preferably within 5-fold, and more preferably within 2-fold, of a value. Where particular values are described in the application and claims, unless otherwise stated the term “about” meaning within an acceptable error range for the particular value should be assumed.

As used herein, the terms “compounds herein described”, “compounds of the present application” and equivalent expressions refer to compounds described in the present application, e.g., those encompassed by structural Formulae such as Formulae I, III, IIIa and IIIb, optionally with reference to any of the applicable embodiments, and also includes exemplary compounds, for example, Compounds 1-27, as well as their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters, and prodrugs when applicable. When a zwitterionic form is possible, the compound may be drawn as its neutral form for practical purposes, but the compound is understood to also include its zwitterionic form. Embodiments herein may also exclude one or more of the compounds. Compounds may be identified either by their chemical structure or their chemical name. In a case where the chemical structure and chemical name would conflict, the chemical structure will prevail.

Unless otherwise stated, structures depicted herein are also meant to include all isomeric (e.g., enantiomeric, diastereomeric, and geometric (or conformational)) forms of the structure; for example, the R and S configurations for each asymmetric center, Z and E double bond isomers, and Z and E conformational isomers. Therefore, single stereochemical isomers as well as enantiomeric, diastereomeric, and geometric (or conformational) mixtures of the present compounds are within the scope of the present description. Unless otherwise stated, all tautomeric forms of the compounds are within the scope of the present description. Additionally, unless otherwise stated, structures depicted herein are also meant to include compounds that differ only in the presence of one or more isotopically enriched atoms. For example, compounds having the present structures including the replacement of hydrogen by deuterium or tritium, or the replacement of a carbon by a ¹³C- or ¹⁴C-enriched carbon are within the scope of the present description. Such compounds are useful, for example, as analytical tools, as probes in biological assays, or as therapeutic agents in accordance with the present description.

Where a particular enantiomer is preferred, it may, in some embodiments be provided substantially free of the corresponding enantiomer, and may also be referred to as “optically enriched.” “Optically-enriched,” as used herein, means that the compound is made up of a significantly greater proportion of one enantiomer. In certain embodiments the compound is made up of at least about 90% by weight of a preferred enantiomer. In other embodiments the compound is made up of at least about 95%, 98%, or 99% by weight of a preferred enantiomer. Preferred enantiomers may be isolated from racemic mixtures by any method known to those skilled in the art, including chiral high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and the formation and crystallization of chiral salts or prepared by asymmetric syntheses. See, for example, Jacques et al., Enantiomers, Racemates and Resolutions (Wiley Interscience, New York, 1981); Wilen, et al., Tetrahedron 33:2725 (1977); Eliel, E. L. Stereochemistry of Carbon Compounds (McGraw-Hill, N Y, 1962); Wilen, S. H. Tables of Resolving Agents and Optical Resolutions, p. 268 (E. L. Eliel, Ed., Univ. of Notre Dame Press, Notre Dame, Ind. 1972).

Definitions of specific functional groups and chemical terms are described in more detail below. For purposes of the present description, the chemical elements are identified in accordance with the Periodic Table of the Elements, CAS version, Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 75^(th), Ed., inside cover, and specific functional groups are generally defined as described therein. Additionally, general principles of organic chemistry, as well as specific functional moieties and reactivity, are described in Organic Chemistry, Thomas Sorrell, University Science Books, Sausalito, 1999; Smith and March March's Advanced Organic Chemistry, 5^(th), Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2001; Larock, Comprehensive Organic Transformations, VCH Publishers, Inc., New York, 1989; Carruthers, Some Modern Methods of Organic Synthesis, 3^(rd) Edition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1987.

The chemical structures herein are drawn according to the conventional standards known in the art. Thus, where an atom, such as a carbon atom, as drawn appears to have an unsatisfied valency, then that valency is assumed to be satisfied by a hydrogen atom even though that hydrogen atom is not necessarily explicitly drawn. Hydrogen atoms should be inferred to be part of the compound.

Abbreviations may also be used throughout the application, unless otherwise noted, such abbreviations are intended to have the meaning generally understood by the field. Examples of such abbreviations include Me (methyl), Et (ethyl), Pr (propyl), i-Pr (isopropyl), Bu (butyl), t-Bu (tert-butyl), i-Bu (iso-butyl), s-Bu (sec-butyl), c-Bu (cyclobutyl), Ph (phenyl), Bn (benzyl), Bz (benzoyl), CBz or Cbz or Z (carbobenzyloxy), Boc or BOC (tert-butoxycarbonyl), and Su or Suc (succinimide). For greater certainty, examples of abbreviations used in the present application are listed in a table in the Examples section.

The number of carbon atoms in a hydrocarbyl substituent can be indicated by the prefix “C_(x)-C_(y),” where x is the minimum and y is the maximum number of carbon atoms in the substituent. When reference is made to “x to y membered” heterocyclic ring (e.g., heterocycloalkyl or heteroaryl), then x and y define respectively, the minimum and maximum number of atoms in the cycle, including carbons as well as heteroatom(s).

The prefix “halo” indicates that the substituent to which the prefix is attached is substituted with one or more independently selected halogen atoms. More specifically, the terms “halo” and “halogen” as used herein refer to an atom selected from fluorine (fluoro, —F), chlorine (chloro, —Cl), bromine (bromo, —Br), and iodine (iodo, —I). For example, “haloalkyl” means an alkyl substituent wherein at least one hydrogen atom is replaced with a halogen atom and “haloalkoxy” means an alkoxy substituent wherein at least one hydrogen atom is replaced with a halogen atom.

The term “heteroatom” means one or more of oxygen, sulfur, nitrogen, phosphorus, or silicon (including, any oxidized form of nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, or silicon; the quaternized form of any basic nitrogen or; a substitutable nitrogen of a heterocyclic ring, for example N (as in 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrolyl), NH (as in pyrrolidinyl) or NR+ (as in N-substituted pyrrolidinyl).

As used herein a “direct bond” or “covalent bond” refers to a single, double or triple bond. In certain embodiments, a “direct bond” or “covalent bond” refers to a single bond.

The term “aliphatic” or “aliphatic group”, as used herein, denotes a hydrocarbon moiety that may be straight-chain (i.e., unbranched), branched, or cyclic (including fused, bridging, and spiro-fused polycyclic) and may be completely saturated or may contain one or more units of unsaturation, but which is not aromatic. Unless otherwise specified, aliphatic groups contain 1-6 carbon atoms. In some embodiments, aliphatic groups contain 1-4 carbon atoms, and in yet other embodiments aliphatic groups contain 1-3 carbon atoms. Aliphatic groups include, but are not limited to, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, carbocycle. Suitable aliphatic groups include, but are not limited to, linear or branched, alkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl groups, and hybrids thereof such as (cycloalkyl)alkyl, (cycloalkenyl)alkyl or (cycloalkyl)alkenyl.

The term “alkyl” as used herein, refers to a saturated, straight- or branched-chain hydrocarbon radical typically containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms. For example, “C₁-C₆ alkyl” contains from one to six carbon atoms. Examples of alkyl radicals include, but are not limited to, methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, neopentyl, n-hexyl, heptyl, octyl radicals and the like.

The term “alkenyl” as used herein, denotes a straight- or branched-chain hydrocarbon radical containing one or more double bonds and typically from 2 to 20 carbon atoms. For example, “C₂-C₈ alkenyl” contains from two to eight carbon atoms. Alkenyl groups include, but are not limited to, for example, ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, I-methyl-2-buten-1-yl, heptenyl, octenyl and the like.

The term “alkynyl” as used herein, denotes a straight- or branched-chain hydrocarbon radical containing one or more triple bonds and typically from 2 to 20 carbon atoms. For example, “C₂-C₈ alkynyl” contains from two to eight carbon atoms. Representative alkynyl groups include, but are not limited to, for example, ethynyl, 1-propynyl, 1-butynyl, heptynyl, octynyl and the like.

The term “alkoxy” as used herein, refers to group —Oalkyl, wherein alkyl is as defined herein. For example, the alkoxy group may be —O(C₁-C₆ alkyl). Examples of alkoxy groups include, without being limited to, —OMe, —OEt, —O^(i)Pr etc.

The term “haloalkyl” as used herein, refers to an alkyl group as defined herein (e.g., C₁-C₆ alkyl), wherein one or more hydrogen atoms has been replaced with a halogen atom (e.g. F or Cl). For example, the haloalkyl group may be —CF₃, —CH₂CH₂F, —CH₂CHF₂, —CH₂CF₃ etc.

The term “haloalkoxy” as used herein, refers to a group alkoxy as defined herein, where one or more hydrogen atoms has been replaced with a halogen atom (e.g. F or Cl). For example, the haloalkoxy group may be —OCF₃, —OCH₂CH₂F, —OCH₂CHF₂, —OCH₂CF₃ etc.

The terms “cycloalkyl”, “alicyclic”, “carbocyclic” and equivalent expressions refer to a group comprising a saturated or partially unsaturated (non-aromatic) carbocyclic ring in a monocyclic or polycyclic ring system, including spiro (sharing one atom), fused (sharing at least one bond) or bridged (sharing two or more bonds) carbocyclic ring systems, having from three to fifteen ring members. Examples of cycloalkyl groups include, without limitation, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclopenten-1-yl, cyclopenten-2-yl, cyclopenten-3-yl, cyclohexyl, cyclohexen-1-yl, cyclohexen-2-yl, cyclohexen-3-yl, cycloheptyl, bicyclo[4,3,0]nonanyl, norbornyl, and the like. The term “cycloalkyl” includes both unsubstituted cycloalkyl groups and substituted cycloalkyl groups. The term “C₃-C_(n)cycloalkyl” refers to a cycloalkyl group having from 3 to the indicated “n” number of carbon atoms in the ring structure. Unless the number of carbons is otherwise specified, “lower cycloalkyl” groups as herein used, have at least 3 and equal or less than 8 carbon atoms in their ring structure.

The term “alkylcyclolalkyl” refers to an alkyl group substituted by a cycloalkyl group as defined herein, wherein the alkyl and cycloalkyl portions independently are optionally substituted. In the present description, an alkylcyclolalkyl group can be referred to as “(C₃-C_(n) cycloalkyl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl”, where n is the maximum number of carbon atoms in the cycloalkyl group, x is the minimum and y is the maximum number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group. In other words, (C₃-C_(n) cycloalkyl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl represents a C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl group substituted with a group C₃-C_(n) cycloalkyl and the C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl portion is directly attached to the atom (e.g. C or N) to be substituted. An example of alkylcyclolalkyl includes, without being limited to, (C₃-C₆ cycloalkyl)C₁-C₆ alkyl.

As used herein, the terms “heterocycle”, “heterocycloalkyl”, “heterocyclyl”, “heterocyclic radical” and “heterocyclic ring” are used interchangeably and refer to a chemically stable 3- to 7-membered monocyclic or 7-10-membered bicyclic heterocyclic moiety that is either saturated or partially unsaturated, and having, in addition to carbon atoms, one or more, preferably one to four, heteroatoms, as defined above. When used in reference to a ring atom of a heterocycle, the term “nitrogen” includes a substituted nitrogen. As an example, in a saturated or partially unsaturated ring having 1-3 heteroatoms selected from oxygen, sulfur or nitrogen, the nitrogen may be N (as in 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrrolyl), NH (as in pyrrolidinyl), or +NR (as in N-substituted pyrrolidinyl). A heterocyclic ring can be attached to its pendant group at any heteroatom or carbon atom that results in a chemically stable structure and any of the ring atoms can be optionally substituted. Examples of heterocycloalkyl groups include, but are not limited to, 1,3-dioxolanyl, pyrrolidinyl, pyrrolidonyl, pyrazolinyl, pyrazolidinyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, oxazolidinyl, isoxazolidinyl, morpholinyl, thiazolidinyl, isothiazolidinyl, tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, tetrahydrothiopyranyl, tetrahydrodithienyl, tetrahydrothienyl, thiomorpholino, thioxanyl, azetidinyl, oxetanyl, thietanyl, homopiperidinyl, oxepanyl, thiepanyl, oxazepinyl, diazepinyl, thiazepinyl, 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridinyl, 2-pyrrolinyl, 3-pyrrolinyl, 2H-pyranyl, 4H-pyranyl, dioxanyl, dithianyl, dithiolanyl, dihydropyranyl, dihydrothienyl, dihydrofuranyl, 3-azabicyclo[3,1,0]hexanyl, 3-azabicyclo[4,1,0]heptanyl, quinolizinyl, quinuclidinyl, tetrahydroquinolinyl, tetrahydroisoquinolinyl, decahydroquinolinyl, and the like. Heterocyclic groups also include groups in which a heterocyclic ring is fused to one or more aryl, heteroaryl, or cycloaliphatic rings, such as indolinyl, 3H-indolyl, chromanyl, chromenyl, phenanthridinyl, 2-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptanyl, octahydroindolyl, or tetrahydroquinolinyl, where the radical or point of attachment is on the heterocyclyl ring. A heterocyclyl group may be mono- or bicyclic.

The term “alkylheterocycloalkyl” refers to an alkyl group substituted by a heterocycloalkyl group as defined herein. The alkyl and heterocycloalkyl portions independently are optionally substituted. In the present description, an alkylheterocycloalkyl group can be referred to as a “(3-n membered heterocycloalkyl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl”, where n is the maximum number of atoms (including carbons and heteroatoms) in the heterocycloalkyl group, and x is the minimum and y is the maximum number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group. In other words, a (3-n membered heterocycloalkyl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl represents a C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl group substituted with a heterocycloalkyl group having 3 to n atoms and the C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl portion is directly attached to the atom (e.g. C or N) to be substituted. An example of a (3-n membered heterocycloalkyl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl group can be, without being limited to, a (3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl)C₁-C₆ alkyl.

As used herein, the term “partially unsaturated” refers to a ring moiety that includes at least one double or triple bond between ring atoms but is not aromatic. The term “partially unsaturated” is intended to encompass rings having multiple sites of unsaturation, but is not intended to include aryl or heteroaryl moieties, as herein defined.

The term “aryl” used alone or as part of a larger moiety as in “aralkyl”, “aralkoxy”, or “aryloxyalkyl”, refers to a monocyclic moiety or to a bicyclic or tricyclic fused ring system having a total of six to 15 ring members, wherein at least one ring in the system is aromatic and wherein each ring in the system contains three to seven ring members. The term “aryl” may be used interchangeably with the term “aryl ring”. In certain embodiments of the present description, “aryl” refers to an aromatic ring system which includes, but not limited to, phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, azulenyl, anthracyl and the like, which may bear one or more substituents.

The term “aralkyl” or “arylalkyl” refers to an alkyl residue substituted with an aryl ring. Examples of aralkyl include, but are not limited to, benzyl, phenethyl, 1-phenylethyl, and the like. Also included within the scope of the term “aryl”, as it is used herein, is a group in which an aromatic ring is fused to one or more non-aromatic rings, such as indanyl, indenyl, phthalimidyl, naphthimidyl, fluorenyl, phenanthridinyl, or tetrahydronaphthyl, and the like. In the present description, aralkyl groups can also be referred to as (C_(v)-C_(w) aryl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl wherein x is the minimum and y the maximum number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group, and v is the minimum and w the maximum number of carbon atoms in the aryl group. In other words, a (C_(v)-C_(w) aryl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl represents a C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl group substituted with a C_(v)-C_(w) aryl group and the C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl portion is directly attached to the atom (e.g. C or N) to be substituted. An example of (C_(v)-C_(w) aryl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl group can be (C₆-C₁₀ aryl)C₁-C₆ alkyl.

The terms “heteroaryl” and “heteroar-”, used alone or as part of a larger moiety, e.g., “heteroaralkyl”, or “heteroaralkoxy”, refer to groups having 5 to 18 ring atoms, preferably 5, 6, or 9 ring atoms; having 6, 10, or 14 π electrons shared in a cyclic array; and having, in addition to carbon atoms, from one to five heteroatoms. The term “heteroatom” includes but is not limited to nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, and includes any oxidized form of nitrogen or sulfur, and any quaternized form of a basic nitrogen. In the present description, heteroaryl groups can also be referred to as “3-n membered heteroaryl”, wherein n is the maximum number of atoms (including carbons and heteroatoms) in the heteroaryl group. An example of a “3-n membered heteroaryl” can be, without being limited to, a “5-10 membered heteroaryl”, and more particularly a “5-8 membered heteroaryl”. A heteroaryl may be a single ring, or two or more fused rings. Heteroaryl groups include, without limitation, thienyl, furanyl (furyl), thienyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, pyridyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, triazinyl, furopyridinyl, indolizinyl, purinyl, naphthyridinyl, and pteridinyl. The terms “heteroaryl” and “heteroar-”, as used herein, also include groups in which a heteroaromatic ring is fused to one or more aryl, cycloaliphatic, or heterocyclyl rings, where the radical or point of attachment is on the heteroaromatic ring. Non-limiting examples include indolyl, 3H-indolyl, isoindolyl, benzothienyl (benzothiophenyl), benzofuranyl, dibenzofuranyl, indazolyl, benzimidazolyl, benzoxazolyl, benzothiazolyl, quinolyl (quinolinyl), isoquinolyl (isoquinolinyl), quinolonyl, isoquinolonyl, cinnolinyl, phthalazinyl, quinazolinyl, quinoxalinyl, 4H-quinolizinyl, carbazolyl, acridinyl, phenanthridinyl, phenazinyl, phenothiazinyl, phenoxazinyl, tetrahydroquinolinyl, tetrahydroisoquinolinyl, and pyrido[2,3-b]-1,4-oxazin-3(4H)-one. A heteroaryl group may be mono- or bicyclic. A heteroaryl group can be attached to its pendant group at any heteroatom or carbon atom that results in a chemically stable structure. Heteroaryl groups include rings that are optionally substituted.

The term “heteroaralkyl” refers to an alkyl group substituted by a heteroaryl, wherein the alkyl and heteroaryl portions independently are optionally substituted. Examples include, but are not limited to, pyridinylmethyl, pyrimidinylmethyl and the like. In the present description, heteroaralkyl groups can also be referred to as (3-n membered heteroaryl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl, wherein n is the maximum number of atoms (including carbons and heteroatoms) in the heteroaryl group, and x is the minimum and y the maximum number of carbon atoms in the alkyl group. In other words, a (3-n membered heteroaryl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl represents a C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl group substituted with a heteroaryl group having 3 to n atoms and the C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl portion is directly attached to the atom (e.g. C or N) to be substituted. An example of a (3-n membered heteroaryl)C_(x)-C_(y) alkyl can be, without being limited to, a (3-10 membered heteroaryl)C₁-C₆ alkyl. It can be more particularly a (5-8 membered heteroaryl)C₁-C₆ alkyl.

The term “bivalent hydrocarbon” refers to a bivalent saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group. Such bivalent hydrocarbon groups include alkylene, alkenylene, and alkynylene groups.

The term “alkylene” refers to a divalent group derived from a straight or branched saturated hydrocarbyl chain typically containing from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more typically from 1 to 8 carbon atoms. Examples of an “alkylene” include a polymethylene group, i.e., —(CH₂)_(n)—, wherein n is a positive integer, preferably from 1 to 6, from 1 to 4, from 1 to 3, from 1 to 2, or from 2 to 3; or —CH₂—, —CH₂CH₂—, —CH₂CH₂CH₂—, —CH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂—, and —CH₂CH(CH₃)CH₂—. A substituted alkylene chain is a polymethylene group in which one or more methylene hydrogen atoms are replaced with a substituent. Suitable substituents include those described below for a substituted aliphatic group.

The term “alkenylene” refers to a divalent unsaturated hydrocarbyl group which may be linear or branched and which has at least one carbon-carbon double bond. An alkenylene group typically contains 2 to 20 carbon atoms, more typically from 2 to 8 carbon atoms. Non-limiting examples of alkenylene groups include —C(H)═C(H)—, —C(H)═C(H)—CH₂—, —C(H)═C(H)—CH₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—C(H)═C(H)—CH₂—, —C(H)═C(H)—CH(CH₃)—, and —CH₂—C(H)═C(H)—CH(CH₂CH₃)—.

The term “alkynylene” refers to a divalent unsaturated hydrocarbon group which may be linear or branched and which has at least one carbon-carbon triple bond. Examples of alkynylene groups include, without limitation, —C≡C—, —C≡C—CH₂—, —C≡C—CH₂—CH₂—, —CH₂—C≡C—CH₂—, —C≡C—CH(CH₃)—, and —CH₂—C≡C—CH(CH₂CH₃)—.

As described herein, compounds of the present description may contain “optionally substituted” moieties. In general, the term “substituted”, whether preceded by the term “optionally” or not, means that one or more hydrogens of the designated moiety are replaced with a suitable substituent. Unless otherwise indicated, an “optionally substituted” group may have a suitable substituent at each substitutable position of the group, and when more than one position in any given structure may be substituted with more than one substituent selected from a specified group, the substituent may be either the same or different at each position. Combinations of substituents envisioned under the present description are preferably those that result in the formation of chemically stable or chemically feasible compounds. The term “chemically stable”, as used herein, refers to compounds that are not substantially altered when subjected to conditions to allow for their production, detection, and, in certain embodiments, their recovery, purification, and use for one or more of the purposes disclosed herein.

The terms “optionally substituted”, “optionally substituted alkyl,” “optionally substituted alkenyl,” “optionally substituted alkynyl”, “optionally substituted carbocyclic,” “optionally substituted aryl”, “optionally substituted heteroaryl,” “optionally substituted heterocyclic,” and any other optionally substituted group as used herein, refer to groups that are substituted or unsubstituted by independent replacement of one, two, or three or more of the hydrogen atoms thereon with substituents including, but not limited to F, Cl, Br, I, OH, CO₂H, protected alkoxy, oxo, thiooxo, NO₂, CN, CF₃, NH₂, protected amino, NHalkyl, NHalkenyl, NHalkynyl, NHcycloalkyl, NHaryl, NHheteroaryl, NHheterocyclic, dialkylamino, diarylamino, diheteroarylamino, O-alkyl, O-alkenyl, O-alkynyl, O-cycloalkyl, O-aryl, O-heteroaryl, O-haloalkyl, O-heterocyclic, C(O)alkyl, C(O)alkenyl, C(O)alkynyl, C(O)cycloalkyl, C(O)aryl, C(O)heteroaryl, C(O)heterocycloalkyl, CO₂alkyl, CO₂alkenyl, CO₂alkynyl, CO₂cycloalkyl, CO₂aryl, CO₂heteroaryl, CO₂heterocycloalkyl, OC(O)alkyl, OC(O)alkenyl, OC(O)alkynyl, OC(O)cycloalkyl, OC(O)aryl, OC(O)heteroaryl, OC(O)heterocycloalkyl, C(O)NH₂, C(O)NHalkyl, C(O)NHalkenyl, C(O)NHalkynyl, C(O)NHcycloalkyl, C(O)NHaryl, C(O)NHheteroaryl, C(O)NHheterocycloalkyl, OCO₂alkyl, OCO₂alkenyl, OCO₂alkynyl, OCO₂cycloalkyl, OCO₂aryl, OCO₂heteroaryl, OCO₂heterocycloalkyl, OC(O)NH₂, OC(O)NHalkyl, OC(O)NHalkenyl, OC(O)NHalkynyl, OC(O)NHcycloalkyl, OC(O)NHaryl, OC(O)NHheteroaryl, OC(O)NHheterocycloalkyl, NHC(O)alkyl, NHC(O)alkenyl, NHC(O)alkynyl, NHC(O)cycloalkyl, NHC(O)aryl, NHC(O)heteroaryl, NHC(O)heterocycloalkyl, NHCO₂alkyl, NHCO₂alkenyl, NHCO₂alkynyl, NHCO₂cycloalkyl, NHCO₂aryl, NHCO₂heteroaryl, NHCO₂heterocycloalkyl, NHC(O)NH₂, NHC(O)NHalkyl, NHC(O)NHalkenyl, NHC(O)NHalkenyl, NHC(O)NHcycloalkyl, NHC(O)NHaryl, NHC(O)NHheteroaryl, NHC(O)NHheterocycloalkyl, NHC(S)NH₂, NHC(S)NHalkyl, NHC(S)NHalkenyl, NHC(S)NHalkynyl, NHC(S)NHcycloalkyl, NHC(S)NHaryl, NHC(S)NHheteroaryl, NHC(S)NHheterocycloalkyl, NHC(NH)NH₂, NHC(NH)NHalkyl, NHC(NH)NHalkenyl, NHC(NH)NHalkenyl, NHC(NH)NHcycloalkyl, NHC(NH)NHaryl, NHC(NH)NHheteroaryl, NHC(NH)NHheterocycloalkyl, NHC(NH)alkyl, NHC(NH)alkenyl, NHC(NH)alkenyl, NHC(NH)cycloalkyl, NHC(NH)aryl, NHC(NH)heteroaryl, NHC(NH)heterocycloalkyl, C(NH)NHalkyl, C(NH)NHalkenyl, C(NH)NHalkynyl, C(NH)NHcycloalkyl, C(NH)NHaryl, C(NH)NHheteroaryl, C(NH)NHheterocycloalkyl, S(O)alkyl, S(O)alkenyl, S(O)alkynyl, S(O)cycloalkyl, S(O)aryl, S(O)₂alkyl, S(O)₂alkenyl, S(O)₂alkynyl, S(O)₂cycloalkyl, S(O)₂aryl, S(O)heteroaryl, S(O)heterocycloalkyl, SO₂NH₂, SO₂NHalkyl, SO₂NHalkenyl, SO₂NHalkynyl, SO₂NHcycloalkyl, SO₂N Haryl, SO₂N Hheteroaryl, SO₂N Hheterocycloalkyl, N HSO₂alkyl, N HSO₂alkenyl, NHSO₂alkynyl, NHSO₂cycloalkyl, NHSO₂aryl, NHSO₂heteroaryl, NHSO₂heterocycloalkyl, CH₂NH₂, CH₂SO₂CH₃, alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, aryl, arylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heterocycloalkyl, cycloalkyl, carbocyclic, heterocyclic, polyalkoxyalkyl, polyalkoxy, methoxymethoxy, methoxyethoxy, SH, S-alkyl, S-alkenyl, S-alkynyl, S-cycloalkyl, S-aryl, S-heteroaryl, S-heterocycloalkyl, or methylthiomethyl.

In certain embodiments, suitable monovalent substituents on a substitutable carbon atom of an “optionally substituted” group are independently halogen; (CH₂)₀₋₄R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄OR^(∘); O(CH₂)₀₋₄C(O)OR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄CH(OR^(∘))₂; (CH₂)₀₋₄SR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄Ph, which may be substituted with R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄O(CH₂)₀₋₄Ph which may be substituted with R^(∘); —CH═CHPh, which may be substituted with R^(∘); NO₂; CN; N₃; (CH₂)₀₋₄N(R^(∘))₂; (CH₂)₀₋₄N(R^(∘))C(O)R^(∘); N(R^(∘))C(S)R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄N(R^(∘))C(O)NR₂; N(R^(∘))C(S)NR^(∘) ₂; (CH₂)₀₋₄N(R^(∘))C(O)OR^(∘); N(R^(∘))N(R^(∘))C(O)R^(∘); N(R^(∘))N(R^(∘))C(O)NR^(∘) ₂; N(R^(∘))N(R^(∘))C(O)OR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄C(O)R^(∘); C(S)R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄C(O)OR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄C(O)SR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄C(O)OSiR^(∘3); (CH₂)₀₋₄OC(O)R^(∘); OC(O)(CH₂)₀₋₄SR—, SC(S)SR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄SC(O)R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄C(O)NR^(∘) ₂; C(S)NR^(∘) ₂; C(S)SR^(∘); SC(S)SR^(∘), (CH₂)₀₋₄OC(O)NR^(∘) ₂; C(O)N(OR^(∘))R^(∘); C(O)C(O)R^(∘); C(O)CH₂C(O)R^(∘); C(NOR^(∘))R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄SSR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄S(O)₂R^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄(O)₂OR^(∘); (CH₂)₀₋₄OS(O)₂R^(∘); S(O)₂NR^(∘) ₂; (CH₂)₀₋₄S(O)R^(∘); N(R^(∘))S(O)₂NR^(∘) ₂; N(R^(∘))S(O)₂R; N(OR^(∘))R^(∘); C(NH)NR^(∘) ₂; P(O)₂R^(∘); P(O)R^(∘) ₂; OP(O)R^(∘) ₂; OP(O)(OR^(∘))₂; SiR^(∘) ₃; (straight or branched C₁₋₄alkylene)O—N(R^(∘))₂; or (straight or branched C₁₋₄alkylene)C(O)O—N(R^(∘))₂, wherein each R^(∘) may be substituted as defined below and is independently hydrogen, C₁₋₆aliphatic, CH₂Ph, O(CH₂)₀₋₁Ph, or a 5-6-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aromatic ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, or, notwithstanding the definition above, two independent occurrences of R^(∘), taken together with their intervening atom(s), may form a 3 to 12 membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl mono- or bicyclic ring having 0 to 4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur, which may be substituted as defined below.

Examples of monovalent substituents on R^(∘) (or the ring formed by taking two independent occurrences of R^(∘) together with their intervening atoms), are independently halogen, —(CH₂)₀₋₂R*, -(haloR*), —(CH₂)₀₋₂OH, —(CH₂)₀₋₂OR*, —(CH₂)₀₋₂CH(OR*)₂, —O(haloR′), —CN, —N₃, —(CH₂)₀₋₂C(O)R*, —(CH₂)₀₋₂C(O)OH, —(CH₂)₀₋₂C(O)OR*, —(CH₂)₀₋₂SR*, —(CH₂)₀₋₂SH, —(CH₂)₀₋₂NH₂, —(CH₂)₀₋₂NHR*, —(CH₂)₀₋₂NR*₂, —NO₂, —SiR*₃, —OSiR*₃, —C(O)SR*—(C₁₋₄ straight or branched alkylene)C(O)OR*, or —SSR*, wherein each R* is unsubstituted or where preceded by “halo” is substituted only with one or more halogens, and is independently selected from C₁₋₄ aliphatic, —CH₂Ph, —O(CH₂)₀₋₁Ph, or a 5-6-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. Suitable divalent substituents on a saturated carbon atom of R^(∘) include ═O and ═S.

Examples of divalent substituents on a saturated carbon atom of an “optionally substituted” group include the following: ═O, ═S, ═NNR*₂, ═NNHC(O)R*, ═NNHC(O)OR*, ═NNHS(O)₂R*, ═NR*, ═NOR*, —O(C(R*₂))₂₋₃₀—, or —S(C(R*₂))₂₋₃S—, wherein each independent occurrence of R* is selected from hydrogen, C₁₋₆ aliphatic which may be substituted as defined below, or an unsubstituted 5-6-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur. Suitable divalent substituents that are bound to vicinal substitutable carbons of an “optionally substituted” group include: —O(CR₂)₂₋₃₀—, wherein each independent occurrence of R is selected from hydrogen, C₁₋₆ aliphatic which may be substituted as defined below, or an unsubstituted 5-6-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

Exemplary substituents on the aliphatic group of R* include halogen, —R*, -(haloR*), —OH, —OR*, —O(haloR′), —CN, —C(O)OH, —C(O)OR*, —NH₂, —NHR*, —NR*₂, or —NO₂, wherein each R* is unsubstituted or where preceded by “halo” is substituted only with one or more halogens, and is independently C₁₋₄ aliphatic, —CH₂Ph, —O(CH₂)₀₋₁ Ph, or a 5-6-membered saturated, partially unsaturated, or aryl ring having 0-4 heteroatoms independently selected from nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur.

The expression “pharmaceutically acceptable salt” refers to those salts of the compounds formed by the process of the present description which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of humans and lower animals without undue toxicity, irritation, allergic response and the like, and are commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio. Pharmaceutically acceptable salts are well known in the art. For example, S. M. Berge, et al. describes pharmaceutically acceptable salts in detail in J. Pharmaceutical Sciences, 66: 1-19 (1977). The salts can be prepared in situ during the final isolation and purification of the compounds of the present description, or separately by reacting a free base function of the compound with a suitable organic or inorganic acid (acid addition salts) or by reacting an acidic function of the compound with a suitable organic or inorganic base (base-addition salts). Examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts include, but are not limited to, nontoxic acid addition salts, or salts of an amino group formed with inorganic acids such as hydrochloric acid, hydrobromic acid, phosphoric acid, sulfuric acid and perchloric acid or with organic acids such as acetic acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, succinic acid or malonic acid or by using other methods used in the art such as ion exchange. Other pharmaceutically acceptable salts include, but are not limited to, adipate, alginate, ascorbate, aspartate, benzenesulfonate, benzoate, bisulfate, borate, butyrate, camphorate, camphorsulfonate, citrate, cyclopentanepropionate, digluconate, dodecylsulfate, ethanesulfonate, formate, fumarate, glucoheptonate, glycerophosphate, gluconate, hemisulfate, heptanoate, hexanoate, hydroiodide, 2-hydroxy-ethanesulfonate, lactobionate, lactate, laurate, lauryl sulfate, malate, maleate, malonate, methanesulfonate, 2-naphthalenesulfonate, nicotinate, nitrate, oleate, oxalate, palmitate, pamoate, pectinate, persulfate, 3-phenylpropionate, phosphate, picrate, pivalate, propionate, stearate, succinate, sulfate, tartrate, thiocyanate, p-toluenesulfonate, undecanoate, valerate salts, and the like. Representative base addition alkali or alkaline earth metal salts include sodium, lithium, potassium, calcium, or magnesium salts, and the like. Further pharmaceutically acceptable salts include, when appropriate, nontoxic ammonium, quaternary ammonium, and amine cations formed using counterions such as halide, hydroxide, carboxylate, sulfate, phosphate, nitrate, sulfonate and aryl sulfonate.

The term “solvate” refers to a physical association of one of the present compounds with one or more solvent molecules. This physical association includes hydrogen bonding. In certain instances, the solvate will be capable of isolation, for example when one or more solvent molecules are incorporated in the crystal lattice of a crystalline solid. “Solvate” encompasses both solution-phase and insoluble solvates. Exemplary solvates include, without limitation, hydrates, hemihydrates, ethanolates, hemiethanolates, n-propanolates, iso-propanolates, 1-butanolates, 2-butanolate, and solvates of other physiologically acceptable solvents, such as the Class 3 solvents described in the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH), Guide for Industry, Q3C Impurities: Residual Solvents (1997). The compounds as herein described also include each of their solvates and mixtures thereof.

As used herein, the term “pharmaceutically acceptable ester” refers to esters of the compounds formed by the process of the present description which hydrolyze in vivo and include those that break down readily in the human body to leave the parent compound or a salt thereof. Suitable ester groups include, for example, those derived from pharmaceutically acceptable aliphatic carboxylic acids, particularly alkanoic, alkenoic, cycloalkanoic and alkanedioic acids, in which each alkyl or alkenyl moiety advantageously has not more than 6 carbon atoms. Examples of particular esters include, but are not limited to, formates, acetates, propionates, butyrates, acrylates and ethylsuccinates.

The expression “pharmaceutically acceptable prodrugs” as used herein refers to those prodrugs of the compounds formed by the process of the present description which are, within the scope of sound medical judgment, suitable for use in contact with the tissues of humans and lower animals with undue toxicity, irritation, allergic response, and the like, commensurate with a reasonable benefit/risk ratio, and effective for their intended use. “Prodrug”, as used herein means a compound which is convertible in vivo by metabolic means (e.g. by hydrolysis) to afford any compound delineated by the formulae of the instant description. Various forms of prodrugs are known in the art, for example, as discussed in Bundgaard, (ed.), Design of Prodrugs, Elsevier (1985); Widder, et al. (ed.), Methods in Enzymology, vol. 4, Academic Press (1985); Krogsgaard-Larsen, et al., (ed). “Design and Application of Prodrugs, Textbook of Drug Design and Development”, Chapter 5, 113-191 (1991); Bundgaard, et al., Journal of Drug Deliver Reviews, 8:1-38 (1992); Bundgaard, J. Of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 77:285 et seq. (1988); Higuchi and Stella (eds.) Prodrugs as Novel Drug Delivery Systems, American Chemical Society (1975); and Bernard Testa & Joachim Mayer, “Hydrolysis In Drug And Prodrug Metabolism: Chemistry, Biochemistry And Enzymology”, John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. (2002).

Combinations of substituents and variables envisioned by the present description are only those that result in the formation of stable compounds. The term “stable”, as used herein, refers to compounds which possess stability sufficient to allow manufacture and which maintains the integrity of the compound for a sufficient period of time to be useful for the purposes detailed herein (e.g., therapeutic or prophylactic administration to a subject).

ii. Compounds

The compounds of the present application may be prepared by conventional chemical synthesis, such as exemplified in General Synthetic Schemes and in Examples 1 to 27. As can be appreciated by the skilled artisan, further methods of synthesizing the compounds of the formulae herein will be evident to those of ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, the various synthetic steps may be performed in an alternate sequence or order to give the desired compounds. In addition, the solvents, temperatures, reaction durations, etc. delineated herein are for purposes of illustration only and one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that variation of the reaction conditions can produce the desired products of the present description. Synthetic chemistry transformations and/or protecting group methodologies (protection and deprotection) useful in synthesizing the compounds described herein are known in the art and include, for example, those such as described in R. Larock, Comprehensive Organic Transformations, VCH Publishers (1989); T. W. Greene and P. G. M. Wuts, Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 2d. Ed., John Wiley and Sons (1991); L. Fieser and M. Fieser, Fieser and Fieser's Reagents for Organic Synthesis, John Wiley and Sons (1994); and L. Paquette, ed., Encyclopedia of Reagents for Organic Synthesis, John Wiley and Sons (1995), and subsequent editions thereof. The synthesized compounds can be separated from a reaction mixture and further purified by standard methods such as column chromatography, high pressure liquid chromatography, or recrystallization.

The compounds of the present description may be modified by appending various functionalities via any synthetic means delineated herein to enhance selective biological properties. Such modifications are known in the art and include those which increase biological penetration into a given biological system (e.g., blood, lymphatic system, central nervous system), increase oral availability, increase solubility to allow administration by injection, alter metabolism and alter rate of excretion.

The recitation of a listing of chemical groups in any definition of a variable herein includes definitions of that variable as any single group or combination of listed groups. The recitation of an embodiment for a variable herein includes that embodiment as any single embodiment or in combination with any other embodiments or portions thereof. The recitation of an embodiment herein includes that embodiment as any single embodiment or in combination with any other embodiments or portions thereof. As such, the following embodiments are present alone or in combination if applicable:

The present application provides substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine compounds of general Formula I, as well as their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

wherein:

-   -   R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) and R^(b)         independently represent hydrogen or a linear or branched         C₁-C₆alkyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a         C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl, and R^(c) is         linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl, C₃-C₆cycloalkyl, C₆-C₁₀aryl, 3-7         membered heterocycloalkyl, 5-8 membered heteroaryl,         (C₃-C₆cycloalkyl)C₁-C₆alkyl, (3-7 membered         heterocycloalkyl)C₁-C₆alkyl, (C₆-C₁₀aryl)C₁-C₆alkyl or (5-8         membered heteroaryl)C₁-C₆ alkyl;     -   R² and R⁵ are each independently hydrogen, halogen, linear or         branched C₁-C₆alkyl, linear or branched C₁-C₆alkoxy, —C(O)R⁶,         —NH₂, —NHR⁶, —N(R⁶)(R^(6′)), —C(O)NH₂, —C(O)NH(R⁶),         —C(O)N(R⁶)(R^(6′)) or —NHC(O)R⁶;     -   one of R³ and R⁴ is hydrogen, halogen, a linear or branched         C₁-C₆alkyl, —C(O)R⁶, —NH₂, —NHR⁶, —N(R⁶)(R^(6′)), —C(O)NH₂,         —C(O)NH(R⁶), —C(O)N(R⁶)(R^(6′)) or —NHC(O)R⁶; and the other of         R³ and R⁴ is a group of Formula II:

-   -   wherein:     -   X¹, X² and X³ are each independently N or C, wherein when X¹, X²         or X³ is N, then the R⁷, R⁸ or R¹⁰ attached thereto is absent,         provided that at least two of X¹, X² and X³ is C;     -   R⁷, R⁸ and R¹⁰ are each independently hydrogen, halogen (such as         F, Cl), CN, linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl, C₃-C₆cycloalkyl,         —OR⁶, —SR⁶, —NHR⁶, —N(R⁶)(R^(6′)), —NHC(O)R⁶ or         —N(R⁶)C(O)R^(6′), provided that at least one of R⁷, R⁸ and R¹⁰         is other than hydrogen;     -   R⁹ is a C₁-C₃alkyl or C₃-C₅cycloalkyl group;     -   R⁶ and R^(6′), which are the same or different, represent a         linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl group;     -   and     -   each alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocycloalkyl and heteroaryl is         unsubstituted or substituted.

In one embodiment, when a substituent in Formula I comprises an alkyl group, this group can be unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 3 groups being halogen, CN, alkoxy or haloalkoxy. In another embodiment, when a substituent in Formula I comprises a cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocycloalkyl and/or heteroaryl group, such group can be unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 groups being halogen, CN, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy.

According to one embodiment, R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) is H or methyl, R^(b) is H or methyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 halogen, CN, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy, and R^(c) is (C₅-C₆aryl)C₁-C₃alkyl or a group cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, thienyl, furanyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, pyridyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, triazinyl, [1,3]dioxolane, pyrrolidinyl, pyrazolinyl, pyrazolidinyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, oxazolidinyl, isoxazolidinyl, morpholinyl, thiazolidinyl, isothiazolidinyl, tetrahydrofuryl or tetrahydropyranyl, each group R^(c) being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy.

According to another embodiment, R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) is H or methyl, R^(b) is H or methyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and R^(c) is benzyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or tetrahydropyranyl, each group R^(c) being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy.

In yet another embodiment, R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) is H or methyl, R^(b) is H or methyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl, and R^(c) is benzyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or tetrahydropyranyl, each group R^(c) being optionally substituted by 1 or 2 halogen being F or Cl, methyl or —CF₃.

Examples of R¹ groups can include, without being limited to, the following groups:

wherein X is F or Cl.

In some embodiments, the R¹ group can be selected from one of the following groups:

In one embodiment, R² and R⁵ represent hydrogen.

In another embodiment, R⁴ is a group of Formula II:

In yet another embodiment, X¹, X² and X³ in Formula II are all carbon atoms.

In another embodiment, X¹ is a nitrogen atom and R¹⁰ is absent, and X² and X³ are carbon atoms.

According to one embodiment, R⁹ is an unsubstituted C₁-C₃alkyl or C₃-C₅cycloalkyl group. R⁹ can more particularly be methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl or cyclopropyl.

In some embodiment, where X¹ and X² are carbon atoms, R⁷ and R¹⁰ are each hydrogen atoms and R⁸ is Cl, CN, NHR⁶ or a substituted or unsubstituted C₁-C₆alkyl or C₃-C₆cycloalkyl group.

The group of Formula II can for instance be defined as the following group:

In another embodiment, the present application relates to compounds of Formula III, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

-   -   wherein R¹, R³ and R⁴ are as defined herein.

According to one embodiment, the application relates to compounds of Formula III as herein defined, wherein R⁴ is a group of Formula II.

Another embodiment of the application relates to compounds of Formula IIIa, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

-   -   wherein R¹, R⁷, R⁸, R⁹ and R¹⁰ are as defined herein.

According to one embodiment, the application relates to compounds of Formula IIIa as herein defined, wherein R⁹ is an unsubstituted C₁-C₃alkyl or C₃-C₅cycloalkyl group. For instance, R⁹ can be selected from methyl, trifluoromethyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl or cyclopropyl.

According to another embodiment, the application relates to compounds of Formula IIIa as herein defined, wherein R⁷ and R¹⁰ are each hydrogen atoms and R⁸ is Cl, CN, NHR⁶ or a substituted or unsubstituted C₁-C₆alkyl or C₃-C₆cycloalkyl group.

In a further embodiment, Formula IIIa is such that R⁸ and R⁹ are each independently a methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, fluoromethyl, difluoromethyl, trifluoromethyl, cyclopropyl or difluorocyclopropyl group.

According to yet another embodiment, the application also relates to compounds of Formula IIIb, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts, solvates, esters or prodrugs thereof:

-   -   wherein R¹ is as defined herein.

In a further embodiment, this application relates to a compound selected from Compounds 1 to 27 as defined in Table 1 below, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, solvate, or prodrug thereof.

Compound 1

Compound 2

Compound 3

Compound 4

Compound 5

Compound 6

Compound 7

Compound 8

Compound 9

Compound 10

Compound 11

Compound 12

Compound 13

Compound 14

Compound 15

Compound 16

Compound 17

Compound 18

Compound 19

Compound 20

Compound 21

Compound 22

Compound 23

Compound 24

Compound 25

Compound 26

Compound 27

iii. Methods, Uses, Formulations and Administration

As used herein, the term “effective amount” means that amount of a drug or pharmaceutical agent that will elicit the biological or medical response of a tissue, system, animal or human that is being sought, for instance, by a researcher or clinician. Furthermore, the term “therapeutically effective amount” means any amount which, as compared to a corresponding subject who has not received such amount, results in treatment, healing, prevention, or amelioration of a disease, disorder, or side effect, or a decrease in the rate of advancement of a disease or disorder. The term also includes within its scope amounts effective to enhance normal physiological function.

As used herein, the terms “treatment,” “treat,” and “treating” refer to reversing, alleviating, delaying the onset of, or inhibiting the progress of a disease or disorder, or one or more symptoms thereof, as described herein. In some embodiments, treatment may be administered after one or more symptoms have developed. In other embodiments, treatment may be administered in the absence of symptoms. For example, treatment may be administered to a susceptible individual prior to the onset of symptoms (e.g., in light of a history of symptoms and/or in light of genetic or other susceptibility factors). Treatment may also be continued after symptoms have resolved, for example to prevent or delay their recurrence.

As used herein, the term “bromodomain inhibitor” denotes a compound which inhibits the binding of a bromodomain with its cognate acetylated proteins. In one embodiment the bromodomain inhibitor is a compound which inhibits the binding of a bromodomain to acetylated lysine residues. In a further embodiment the bromodomain inhibitor is a compound which inhibits the binding of a bromodomain to acetylated lysine residues on histones, particularly histones H3 and H4.

In a particular embodiment the bromodomain inhibitor is a compound that inhibits the binding of BET family bromodomains to acetylated lysine residues (hereafter referred to as a “BET family bromodomain inhibitor”). The BET family of bromodomain containing proteins comprises 4 proteins (BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRD-t) which contain tandem bromodomains capable of binding to two acetylated lysine residues in close proximity, increasing the specificity of the interaction.

As used herein, the term “inhibitor” is defined as a compound that binds to and/or inhibits the target bromodomain-containing protein (such as a BET protein, e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT) with measurable affinity.

The terms “measurable affinity” and “measurably inhibit,” as used herein, means a measurable change in activity of at least one bromodomain-containing protein between a sample comprising a provided compound, or composition thereof, and at least one histone methyltransferase, and an equivalent sample comprising at least one bromodomain-containing protein, in the absence of said compound, or composition thereof.

The term “patient or subject” as used herein refers to a mammal. A subject therefore refers to, for example, dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, guinea pigs, and the like. Preferably the subject is a human. When the subject is a human, the subject may be either a patient or a healthy human.

In some embodiments, the disease or condition can be an auto-immune disorder, an inflammatory disorder, a dermal disorder, or cancer. In some optional embodiments, the disease or condition can be an auto-immune disorder. In some other optional embodiments, the disease or condition can be an inflammatory disorder. In further optional embodiments, the inflammatory disorder can be rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, or psoriasis.

In some other optional embodiments, the disease or condition can be cancer. In further optional embodiments, the cancer can be brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, or prostate cancer. In further optional embodiments, the cancer can be brain cancer. In further optional embodiments, the brain cancer is glioblastoma multiforme.

In some embodiments, the cancer is selected from the group consisting of: brain (gliomas), glioblastomas, leukemias, lymphomas, Bannayan-Zonana syndrome, Cowden disease, Lhermitte-Duclos disease, breast, inflammatory breast cancer, Wilm's tumor, Ewing's sarcoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, ependymoma, medulloblastoma, colon, gastric, bladder, head and neck, kidney, lung, liver, melanoma, renal, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate, sarcoma, osteosarcoma, giant cell tumor of bone and thyroid.

In some embodiments, the disorder can be a proliferative disorder, inflammatory disease, sepsis, autoimmune disease, or viral infection. In some optional embodiments, the proliferative disorder can be cancer.

The term “proliferative disorder” refers to cells having the capacity for autonomous growth, i.e., an abnormal state of condition characterized by rapidly proliferating cell growth which generally forms a distinct mass that show partial or total lack of structural organization and functional coordination with normal tissue.

The terms “neoplasm”, “neoplastic disorder”, “neoplasia”, “cancer,” and “tumor” are meant to encompass hematopoietic neoplasms (e.g. lymphomas or leukemias) as well as solid neoplasms (e.g. sarcomas or carcinomas), including all types of pre-cancerous and cancerous growths, or oncogenic processes, metastatic tissues or malignantly transformed cells, tissues, or organs, irrespective of histopathologic type or stage of invasiveness. Hematopoietic neoplasms are malignant tumors affecting hematopoietic structures (structures pertaining to the formation of blood cells) and components of the immune system, including leukemias (related to leukocytes (white blood cells) and their precursors in the blood and bone marrow) arising from myeloid, lymphoid or erythroid lineages, and lymphomas (related to lymphocytes). Solid neoplasms include sarcomas, which are malignant neoplasms that originate from connective tissues such as muscle, cartilage, blood vessels, fibrous tissue, fat or bone. Solid neoplasms also include carcinomas, which are malignant neoplasms arising from epithelial structures, including external epithelia (e.g., skin and linings of the gastrointestinal tract, lungs, and cervix), and internal epithelia that line various glands (e.g., breast, pancreas, thyroid). Examples of neoplasms include leukemia, and hepatocellular cancers, sarcoma, vascular endothelial cancers, breast cancers, central nervous system cancers (e.g. astrocytoma, gliosarcoma, neuroblastoma, oligodendroglioma and glioblastoma), prostate cancers, lung and bronchus cancers, larynx cancers, esophagus cancers, colon cancers, colorectal cancers, gastro-intestinal cancers, melanomas, ovarian and endometrial cancer, renal and bladder cancer, liver cancer, endocrine cancer (e.g. thyroid), and pancreatic cancer.

In some aspects, examples of cancers treated using the compounds and methods described herein include, but are not limited to, acinic cell carcinoma, acoustic neuroma, acral lentiginous melanoma, acrospiroma, acute eosinophilic leukemia, acute erythroid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, acute megakaryoblastic leukemia, acute monocytic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, acute myelognous leukemia, acute promyelocytic leukemia, adrenal cancer, adenocarcinoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, adenoma, adenomatoid odontogenic tumor, adenosquamous carcinoma, adipose tissue neoplasm, adrenal cancer, adrenocortical carcinoma, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, aggressive NK-cell leukemia, AIDS-related lymphoma, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, alveolar soft part sarcoma, ameloblastic fibroma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma, anaplastic thyroid cancer, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, angiomyolipoma, angiosarcoma, astrocytoma, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor, Bannayan-Zonana syndrome, basal cell carcinoma, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, B-cell lymphoma, B-cell prolymphocytic leukemia, biliary tract cancer, bladder, bladder cancer, blastoma, bone cancer, brain (gliomas), brain cancer, breast, breast cancer, Brenner tumor, Brown tumor, Burkitt's lymphoma, carcinoma, carcinoma in situ, carcinosarcoma, cartilage tumor, cementoma, cervical cancer, chondroma, chordoma, choriocarcinoma, choroid plexus papilloma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, clear-cell sarcoma of the kidney, colon, colorectal cancer, Cowden disease, craniopharyngioma, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Degos disease, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor, dysgerminoma, embryonal carcinoma, endocrine gland neoplasm, endodermal sinus tumor, enteropathy-associated T-cell lymphoma, ependymoma, esophageal cancer, Ewing's sarcoma, fetus in fetu, fibroma, fibrosarcoma, follicular lymphoma, follicular thyroid cancer, gallbladder cancer, ganglioneuroma, gastric, gastric cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, germ cell tumor, gestational choriocarcinoma, giant cell fibroblastoma, giant cell tumor of bone and thyroid, giant cell tumor of the bone, glial tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, glioblastomas, glioma, gliomatosis cerebri, glucagonoma, gonadoblastoma, granulosa cell tumor, gynandroblastoma, hairy cell leukemia, head and neck, head and neck cancer, hemangioblastoma, hemangiopericytoma, hematological malignancy, hepatoblastoma, hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, inflammatory breast cancer, intestinal cancer, invasive lobular carcinoma, kidney, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, lentigo maligna, lethal midline carcinoma, leukemia, leukemias, leydig cell tumor, Lhermitte-Duclos disease, liposarcoma, liver, liver cancer, lung, lung cancer, lymphangio sarcoma, lymphangioma, lymphoepithelioma, lymphoma, lymphomas, malignant fibrous histiocytoma, malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor, malignant triton tumor, MALT lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma, marginal zone B-cell lymphoma, mast cell leukemia, mediastinal germ cell tumor, medullary carcinoma of the breast, medullary thyroid cancer, medulloblastoma, melanoma, meningioma, merkel cell cancer, mesothelioma, metastatic urothelial carcinoma, mixed Mullerian tumor, mucinous tumor, multiple myeloma, muscle tissue neoplasm, mycosis fungoides, myeloid sarcoma, myxoid liposarcoma, myxoma, myxosarcoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, neurinoma, neuroblastoma, neurofibroma, neuroma, nodular melanoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-small cell lung cancer, ocular cancer, oligoastrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, oncocytoma, optic nerve sheath meningioma, optic nerve tumor, oral cancer, osteosarcoma, ovarian, ovarian cancer, Pancoast tumor, pancreatic, pancreatic cancer, papillary thyroid cancer, paraganglioma, pharyngeal cancer, pinealoblastoma, pineocytomai, pituicytoma, pituitary adenoma, pituitary tumor, plasmacytoma, polyembryoma, precursor T-lymphoblastic lymphoma, primary central nervous system lymphoma, primary effusion lymphoma, primary peritoneal cancer, prostate, prostate cancer, pseudomyxoma peritonei, rectal cancer, renal, renal cell carcinoma, renal medullary carcinoma, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyoma, Rhabdomyosarcoma, Richter's transformation, sarcoma, Schwannomatosis, seminoma, Sertoli cell tumor, sex cord-gonadal stromal tumor, Sezary's disease, signet ring cell carcinoma, skin cancer, small blue round cell tumors, small cell carcinoma, small cell lung cancer, small intestine cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, somatostatinoma, soot wart, spinal tumor, splenic marginal zone lymphoma, squamous carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, stomach cancer, synovial sarcoma, T-cell lymphoma, testicular cancer, thecoma, throat cancer, thyroid cancer, transitional cell carcinoma, urachal cancer, urogenital cancer, urothelial carcinoma, uterine cancer, uveal melanoma, vaginal cancer, verrucous carcinoma, visual pathway glioma, vulvar cancer, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia, Warthin's tumor, and Wilm's tumor.

In some embodiments, the cancer can be adenocarcinoma, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, bladder cancer, blastoma, bone cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, carcinoma, myeloid sarcoma, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, glioblastoma multiforme, glioma, gallbladder cancer, gastric cancer, head and neck cancer, Hodgkin's lymphoma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, intestinal cancer, kidney cancer, laryngeal cancer, leukemia, lung cancer, lymphoma, liver cancer, small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, multiple myeloma, ocular cancer, optic nerve tumor, oral cancer, ovarian cancer, pituitary tumor, primary central nervous system lymphoma, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, pharyngeal cancer, renal cell carcinoma, rectal cancer, sarcoma, skin cancer, spinal tumor, small intestine cancer, stomach cancer, T-cell lymphoma, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, throat cancer, urogenital cancer, urothelial carcinoma, uterine cancer, vaginal cancer, or Wilms' tumor. In some other embodiments, the cancer can be acute myelognous leukemia or Burkitt's lymphoma.

In some embodiments, the autoimmune and inflammatory diseases or conditions can involve an inflammatory response to infections with bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites or their toxins, as well as viruses. In some other embodiments, the autoimmune and inflammatory diseases or conditions can be selected from the group consisting of acute lung injury, acute pancreatitis, acute renal failure, ARDS (adult respiratory distress syndrome), burns, coronavirus, encephalitis, endotoxaemia, fulminant hepatitis, herpes simplex, herpes zoster, Herxheimer reactions, malaria and SIRS associated with viral infections such as influenza, meningitis, multi-organ dysfunction syndrome, myelitis, post-surgical syndromes, sarcoidosis, sepsis, sepsis syndrome, septic shock, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), toxic shock syndrome.

In some embodiments, the present description provides a method of treating other conditions. Such other conditions include, but are not limited to, acne, acute inflammatory responses (such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and ischemia/reperfusion injury, glioblastoma, Graves' disease, HIV, HPV, inflammatory disease, keloids and related scarring, lung cancer, meningitis (bacterial and viral), multiple sclerosis, neoplasm, neuroblastoma, pancreatic cancer, scleroderma, skin cancer, toxic shock, viral infections, viral infections and diseases.

In some embodiments, the present description provides a method of treating a benign proliferative disorder. Such benign proliferative disorders include, but are not limited to, benign soft tissue tumors, bone tumors, brain and spinal tumors, eyelid and orbital tumors, granuloma, lipoma, meningioma, multiple endocrine neoplasia, nasal polyps, pituitary tumors, prolactinoma, pseudotumor cerebri, seborrheic keratoses, stomach polyps, thyroid nodules, cystic neoplasms of the pancreas, hemangiomas, vocal cord nodules, polyps, and cysts, Castleman disease, chronic pilonidal disease, dermatofibroma, pilar cyst, prolactinoma, pseudotumor cerebri, pyogenic granuloma, and juvenile polyposis syndrome.

The present description further relates to a method for treating infectious and noninfectious inflammatory events and autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases by administration of an effective amount of a provided compound to a mammal, in particular a human in need of such treatment. Examples of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, disorders, and syndromes treated using the compounds and methods described herein include inflammatory pelvic disease, urethritis, skin sunburn, sinusitis, pneumonitis, encephalitis, meningitis, myocarditis, nephritis, osteomyelitis, myositis, hepatitis, gastritis, enteritis, dermatitis, gingivitis, appendicitis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, agammaglobulinemia, psoriasis, allergy, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, Sjogren's disease, tissue graft rejection, hyperacute rejection of transplanted organs, asthma, allergic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), autoimmune polyglandular disease (also known as autoimmune polyglandular syndrome), autoimmune alopecia, pernicious anemia, glomerulonephritis, dermatomyositis, multiple sclerosis, scleroderma, vasculitis, autoimmune hemolytic and thrombocytopenic states, Goodpasture's syndrome, atherosclerosis, Addison's disease, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Type I diabetes, septic shock, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile arthritis, osteoarthritis, chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia, myasthenia gravis, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, atopic dermatitis, degenerative joint disease, vitiligo, autoimmune hypopituitarism, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Behcet's disease, scleracierma, mycosis fungoides, acute inflammatory responses (such as acute respiratory distress syndrome and ischemia/reperfusion injury), and Graves' disease. Other examples of infectious and noninfectious inflammatory events, autoimmune and other inflammatory diseases include, but are not limited to, Addison's disease, agammaglobulinemia, allergic rhinitis, allergy, Alzheimer's disease, appendicitis, asthma, atherosclerosis, atopic dermatitis, autoimmune alopecia, autoimmune hemolytic and thrombocytopenic states, autoimmune hypopituitarism, autoimmune polyglandular disease (also known as autoimmune polyglandular syndrome), Behcet's disease, cholecystitis, chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Crohn's disease, degenerative joint disease, dermatitis, dermatomyositis, encephalitis, enteritis, gastritis, gingivitis, glomerulonephritis, Goodpasture's syndrome, Guillain-Barre syndrome, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, hepatitis, hyperacute rejection of transplanted organs, inflammatory pelvic disease, irritable bowel syndrome, juvenile arthritis, meningitis, multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, mycosis fungoides, myocarditis, myositis, nephritis, osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, pancreatitis, Parkinson's disease, pernicious anemia, pneumonitis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, scleracierma, scleroderma, septic shock, sinusitis, Sjogren's disease, skin sunburn, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), tissue graft rejection, Type I diabetes, ulcerative colitis, urethritis, vasculitis, vitiligo, and Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.

In some embodiments, the present description provides a method of treating systemic inflammatory response syndromes such as LPS-induced endotoxic shock and/or bacteria-induced sepsis by administration of an effective amount of a provided compound to a mammal, in particular a human in need of such treatment.

The present description further relates to a method for treating viral infections and diseases by administration of an effective amount of a provided compound to a mammal, in particular a human in need of such treatment. Examples of viral infections and diseases treated using the compounds and methods described herein include episome-based DNA viruses including, but not limited to, human papillomavirus, Herpesvirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatis B virus, and hepatitis C virus.

The present description further relates to a method of treating a subject, such as a human, suffering from one of the abovementioned conditions, illnesses, disorders or diseases. The method comprises administering a therapeutically effective amount of one or more provided compounds, which function by inhibiting a bromodomain and, in general, by modulating gene expression, to induce various cellular effects, in particular induction or repression of gene expression, arresting cell proliferation, inducing cell differentiation and/or inducing apoptosis, to a subject in need of such treatment.

The present description further provides a therapeutic method of modulating protein methylation, gene expression, cell proliferation, cell differentiation and/or apoptosis in vivo in diseases mentioned above, in particular cancer, inflammatory disease, and/or viral disease comprising administering to a subject in need of such therapy a pharmacologically active and therapeutically effective amount of one or more provided compounds.

The present description further provides a method of regulating endogenous or heterologous promoter activity by contacting a cell with a provided compound.

In certain embodiments, the present description provides a method of treating a disorder (as described herein) in a subject, comprising administering to the subject identified as in need thereof, a compound of the present description. The identification of those patients who are in need of treatment for the disorders described above is well within the ability and knowledge of one skilled in the art. Certain of the methods for identification of patients which are at risk of developing the above disorders which can be treated by the subject method are appreciated in the medical arts, such as family history, and the presence of risk factors associated with the development of that disease state in the subject patient. A clinician skilled in the art can readily identify such candidate patients, by the use of, for example, clinical tests, physical examination and medical/family history.

A method of assessing the efficacy of a treatment in a subject includes determining the pre-treatment extent of a disorder by methods well known in the art (e.g., determining tumor size or screening for tumor markers where the cell proliferative disorder is cancer) and then administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of the present description, to the subject. After an appropriate period of time after the administration of the compound (e.g., 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, one month, six months), the extent of the disorder is determined again. The modulation (e.g., decrease) of the extent or invasiveness of the disorder indicates efficacy of the treatment. The extent or invasiveness of the disorder may be determined periodically throughout treatment. For example, the extent or invasiveness of the disorder may be checked every few hours, days or weeks to assess the further efficacy of the treatment. A decrease in extent or invasiveness of the disorder indicates that the treatment is efficacious. The method described may be used to screen or select patients that may benefit from treatment with a compound of the present description.

According to one aspect, there is provided a method for identifying compounds for use in treating autoimmune and inflammatory diseases or conditions which comprises the step of determining whether the compound inhibits the binding of a bromodomain with its cognate acetylated protein.

According to another embodiment, the description provides a method of inhibiting a bromodomain-containing protein (such as a BET protein, e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT) using a composition comprising a compound of the present description or a pharmaceutically acceptable derivative thereof and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle. The amount of a compound of the present description in a provided composition is such that is effective to measurably inhibit one or more bromodomain-containing proteins (such as a BET protein, e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT), or a mutant thereof, in a biological sample or in a patient. In certain embodiments, the amount of compound in a provided composition is such that is effective to measurably inhibit one or more bromodomain-containing proteins (such as a BET protein, e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT), or a mutant thereof, in a biological sample or in a patient. In certain embodiments, a provided composition is formulated for administration to a patient in need of such composition. In some embodiments, a provided composition is formulated for oral administration to a patient.

In some embodiments, the therapeutically effective amount of a compound as defined herein can be administered to a patient alone or admixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle.

The expression “pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle” and equivalent expressions, refer to a non-toxic carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle that does not destroy the pharmacological activity of the compound with which it is formulated. Pharmaceutically acceptable carriers, adjuvants or vehicles that may be used in the compositions of this disclosure include, but are not limited to, ion exchangers, alumina, aluminum stearate, lecithin, serum proteins, such as human serum albumin, buffer substances such as phosphates, glycine, sorbic acid, potassium sorbate, partial glyceride mixtures of saturated vegetable fatty acids, water, salts or electrolytes, such as protamine sulfate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, potassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium chloride, zinc salts, colloidal silica, magnesium trisilicate, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, cellulose-based substances, polyethylene glycol, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, polyacrylates, waxes, polyethylene-polyoxypropylene-block polymers, polyethylene glycol and wool fat.

A “pharmaceutically acceptable derivative” means any non-toxic salt, ester, salt of an ester, prodrug, salt of a prodrug, or other derivative of a compound of the present description that, upon administration to a recipient, is capable of providing, either directly or indirectly, a compound of the present description or an inhibitory active metabolite or residue thereof.

As used herein, the term “inhibitory active metabolite or residue thereof” means that a metabolite or residue thereof is also an inhibitor of one or more bromodomain-containing protein(s) (such as a BET protein, e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT), or a mutant thereof.

Compositions described herein may be administered orally, parenterally, by inhalation spray, topically, rectally, nasally, buccally, vaginally or via an implanted reservoir. The term “parenteral” as used herein includes subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, intraarticular, intrasynovial, intrasternal, intrathecal, intrahepatic, intralesional and intracranial injection or infusion techniques. Other modes of administration also include intradermal or transdermal administration.

Liquid dosage forms for oral administration include, but are not limited to, pharmaceutically acceptable emulsions, microemulsions, solutions, suspensions, syrups and elixirs. In addition to the active compounds, the liquid dosage forms may contain inert diluents commonly used in the art such as, for example, water or other solvents, solubilizing agents and emulsifiers such as ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl carbonate, ethyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzyl benzoate, propylene glycol, 1,3-butylene glycol, dimethylformamide, oils (in particular, cottonseed, groundnut, corn, germ, olive, castor, and sesame oils), glycerol, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol, polyethylene glycols and fatty acid esters of sorbitan, and mixtures thereof. Besides inert diluents, the oral compositions can also include adjuvants such as wetting agents, emulsifying and suspending agents, sweetening, flavoring, and perfuming agents.

Injectable preparations, for example, sterile injectable aqueous or oleaginous suspensions may be formulated according to the known art using suitable dispersing or wetting agents and suspending agents. The sterile injectable preparation may also be a sterile injectable solution, suspension or emulsion in a nontoxic parenterally acceptable diluent or solvent, for example, as a solution in 1,3-butanediol. Among the acceptable vehicles and solvents that may be employed are water, Ringer's solution, U.S.P. and isotonic sodium chloride solution. In addition, sterile, fixed oils are conventionally employed as a solvent or suspending medium. For this purpose any bland fixed oil can be employed including synthetic mono- or diglycerides. In addition, fatty acids such as oleic acid are used in the preparation of injectables.

Injectable formulations can be sterilized, for example, by filtration through a bacterial-retaining filter, or by incorporating sterilizing agents in the form of sterile solid compositions which can be dissolved or dispersed in sterile water or other sterile injectable medium prior to use.

In order to prolong the effect of a provided compound, it is often desirable to slow the absorption of the compound from subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. This may be accomplished by the use of a liquid suspension of crystalline or amorphous material with poor water solubility. The rate of absorption of the compound then depends upon its rate of dissolution that, in turn, may depend upon crystal size and crystalline form. Alternatively, delayed absorption of a parenterally administered compound form is accomplished by dissolving or suspending the compound in an oil vehicle. Injectable depot forms are made by forming microencapsule matrices of the compound in biodegradable polymers such as polylactide-polyglycolide. Depending upon the ratio of compound to polymer and the nature of the particular polymer employed, the rate of compound release can be controlled.

Examples of other biodegradable polymers include poly(orthoesters) and poly(anhydrides). Depot injectable formulations are also prepared by entrapping the compound in liposomes or microemulsions that are compatible with body tissues.

Compositions for rectal or vaginal administration are preferably suppositories which can be prepared by mixing the compounds of the present description with suitable non-irritating excipients or carriers such as cocoa butter, polyethylene glycol or a suppository wax which are solid at ambient temperature but liquid at body temperature and therefore melt in the rectum or vaginal cavity and release the active compound.

Solid dosage forms for oral administration include capsules, tablets, pills, powders, and granules. In such solid dosage forms, the active compound is mixed with at least one inert, pharmaceutically acceptable excipient or carrier such as sodium citrate or dicalcium phosphate and/or a) fillers or extenders such as starches, lactose, sucrose, glucose, mannitol, and silicic acid, b) binders such as, for example, carboxymethylcellulose, alginates, gelatin, polyvinylpyrrolidinone (PVP), sucrose, and acacia, c) humectants such as glycerol, d) disintegrating agents such as agar-agar, calcium carbonate, potato or tapioca starch, alginic acid, certain silicates, and sodium carbonate, e) solution retarding agents such as paraffin, f) absorption accelerators such as quaternary ammonium compounds, g) wetting agents such as, for example, cetyl alcohol and glycerol monostearate, h) absorbents such as kaolin and bentonite clay, and i) lubricants such as talc, calcium stearate, magnesium stearate, solid polyethylene glycols, sodium lauryl sulfate, and mixtures thereof. In the case of capsules, tablets and pills, the dosage form may also comprise buffering agents.

Solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in soft and hard-filled gelatin capsules using such excipients as lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols and the like. The solid dosage forms of tablets, dragees, capsules, pills, and granules can be prepared with coatings and shells such as enteric coatings and other coatings well known in the pharmaceutical formulating art. They may optionally contain opacifying agents and can also be of a composition that they release the active ingredient(s) only, or preferentially, in a certain part of the intestinal tract, optionally, in a delayed manner. Examples of embedding compositions that can be used include polymeric substances and waxes. Solid compositions of a similar type may also be employed as fillers in soft and hard-filled gelatin capsules using such excipients as lactose or milk sugar as well as high molecular weight polyethylene glycols and the like.

Provided compounds can also be in micro-encapsulated form with one or more excipients as noted above. The solid dosage forms of tablets, dragees, capsules, pills, and granules can be prepared with coatings and shells such as enteric coatings, release controlling coatings and other coatings well known in the pharmaceutical formulating art. In such solid dosage forms the active compound may be admixed with at least one inert diluent such as sucrose, lactose or starch. Such dosage forms may also comprise, as is normal practice, additional substances other than inert diluents, e.g., tableting lubricants and other tableting aids such a magnesium stearate and microcrystalline cellulose. In the case of capsules, tablets and pills, the dosage forms may also comprise buffering agents. They may optionally contain opacifying agents and can also be of a composition that they release the active ingredient(s) only, or preferentially, in a certain part of the intestinal tract, optionally, in a delayed manner. Examples of embedding compositions that can be used include polymeric substances and waxes.

Dosage forms for topical or transdermal administration of a compound of the present description include ointments, pastes, creams, lotions, gels, powders, solutions, sprays, inhalants or patches. The active component is admixed under sterile conditions with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier and any needed preservatives or buffers as may be required. Ophthalmic formulation, ear drops, and eye drops are also contemplated as being within the scope of the present description. Additionally, the description contemplates the use of transdermal patches, which have the added advantage of providing controlled delivery of a compound to the body. Such dosage forms can be made by dissolving or dispensing the compound in the proper medium. Absorption enhancers can also be used to increase the flux of the compound across the skin. The rate can be controlled by either providing a rate controlling membrane or by dispersing the compound in a polymer matrix or gel.

Pharmaceutically acceptable compositions provided herein may also be administered by nasal aerosol or inhalation. Such compositions are prepared according to techniques well-known in the art of pharmaceutical formulation and may be prepared as solutions in saline, employing benzyl alcohol or other suitable preservatives, absorption promotors to enhance bioavailability, fluorocarbons, and/or other conventional solubilizing or dispersing agents.

Pharmaceutically acceptable compositions provided herein may be formulated for oral administration. Such formulations may be administered with or without food. In some embodiments, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions of this disclosure are administered without food. In other embodiments, pharmaceutically acceptable compositions of this disclosure are administered with food.

The amount of provided compounds that may be combined with carrier materials to produce a composition in a single dosage form will vary depending upon the patient to be treated and the particular mode of administration. Provided compositions may be formulate such that a dosage of between 0.01-100 mg/kg body weight/day of the inhibitor can be administered to a patient receiving these compositions.

It should also be understood that a specific dosage and treatment regimen for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors, including age, body weight, general health, sex, diet, time of administration, rate of excretion, drug combination, the judgment of the treating physician, and the severity of the particular disease being treated. The amount of a provided compound in the composition will also depend upon the particular compound in the composition.

Compounds or compositions described herein may be administered using any amount and any route of administration effective for treating or lessening the severity of the disorders or diseases as contemplated herein. The exact amount required will vary from subject to subject, depending on the species, age, and general condition of the subject, the severity of the infection, the particular agent, its mode of administration, and the like. Provided compounds are preferably formulated in unit dosage form for ease of administration and uniformity of dosage. The expression “unit dosage form” as used herein refers to a physically discrete unit of agent appropriate for the patient to be treated. It will be understood, however, that the total daily usage of the compounds and compositions of the present disclosure will be decided by the attending physician within the scope of sound medical judgment. The specific effective dose level for any particular patient or organism will depend upon a variety of factors including the disorder being treated and the severity of the disorder; the activity of the specific compound employed; the specific composition employed; the age, body weight, general health, sex and diet of the patient; the time of administration, route of administration, and rate of excretion of the specific compound employed; the duration of the treatment; drugs used in combination or coincidental with the specific compound employed, and like factors well known in the medical arts.

Pharmaceutically acceptable compositions of this disclosure can be administered to humans and other animals orally, rectally, parenterally, intracisternally, intravaginally, intraperitoneally, topically (as by powders, ointments, or drops), buccally, as an oral or nasal spray, or the like, depending on the severity of the infection being treated. In certain embodiments, provided compounds may be administered orally or parenterally at dosage levels of about 0.01 mg/kg to about 50 mg/kg and preferably from about 1 mg/kg to about 25 mg/kg, of subject body weight per day, one or more times a day, to obtain the desired therapeutic effect.

Compounds and compositions described herein are generally useful for the inhibition of activity of one or more proteins involved in epigenetic regulation. Thus, in some embodiments, the present description provides a method of inhibiting one or more proteins involved in epigenetic regulation, such as proteins containing acetyl-lysine recognition motifs, also known as bromodomains (e.g., BET proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT), by administering a provided compound or composition.

Examples of proteins inhibited by the compounds and compositions described herein and against which the methods described herein are useful include bromodomain-containing proteins, such as BET proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or an isoform or mutant thereof.

The activity of a provided compound, or composition thereof, as an inhibitor of a bromodomain-containing protein, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or an isoform or mutant thereof, may be assayed in vitro, in vivo, or in a cell line. In vitro assays include assays that determine inhibition of bromodomain-containing proteins, such as BET proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof. Alternatively, inhibitor binding may be determined by running a competition experiment where a provided compound is incubated with a bromodomain-containing protein, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT bound to known ligands, labeled or unlabeled. Detailed conditions for assaying a provided compound as an inhibitor of a bromodomain-containing protein, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT or a mutant thereof.

The present description provides for a method of treating a subject with a MYC-dependent cancer, comprising: identifying a subject in need of treatment; administering to the subject a BET inhibitor; determining at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass, and wherein following administration, there is a decrease in at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass, thereby treating the disease.

In one embodiment, the identification step comprises determining whether the subject has at least one of a MYC translocation, a genetic rearrangement of MYC, MYC amplification, MYC over-expression and at least one cellular function that facilitates cellular and/or tumor growth and is altered upon reduction of MYC mRNA or protein expression.

The present description also provides for a method of treating a subject with a MYC-dependent cancer, comprising: determining at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass; administering to the subject a BET inhibitor; and comparing at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass in the subject before and after administration of the BET inhibitor.

The present description also provides a method of treating a subject with a MYC-dependent cancer, comprising: administering to the subject a BET inhibitor that is identified as capable of decreasing at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass; and determining at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass; wherein following the administration, there is a decrease in at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass, thereby treating the disease.

The present description also provides for a method of treating a subject with a disease, comprising: administering a BET inhibitor that is identified as capable of decreasing at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass, wherein following the administration, there is a decrease in at least one of MYC mRNA expression, MYC protein expression and tumor mass, thereby treating the disease.

Acetylated histone recognition and bromodomain-containing proteins (such as BET proteins) have been implicated in proliferative disease. BRD4 knockout mice die shortly after implantation and are compromised in their ability to maintain an inner cell mass, and heterozygotes display pre- and postnatal growth defects associated with reduced proliferation rates. BRD4 regulates genes expressed during M/GI, including growth-associated genes, and remains bound to chromatin throughout the cell cycle (Dey, et al. (2009) Mol. Biol. Cell 20:4899-4909). BRD4 also physically associates with Mediator and P-TEFb (CDK9/cyclin TI) to facilitate transcriptional elongation (Yang, et al. (2005) Oncogene 24:1653-1662; Yang, et al. (2005) Mol. Cell 19:535-545). CDK9 is a validated target in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and is linked to c-MYC-dependent transcription (Phelps, et al. Blood 113:2637-2645; Rahl, et al. (2010) Cell 141:432-445).

BRD4 is translocated to the NUT protein in patients with lethal midline carcinoma, an aggressive form of human squamous carcinoma (French, et al. (2001) Am. J. Pathol. 159:1987-1992; French, et al. (2003) Cancer Res. 63:304-307). In vitro analysis with RNAi supports a causal role for BRD4 in this recurrent t(15;19) chromosomal translocation. Pharmacologic inhibition of the BRD4 bromodomains results in growth arrest/differentiation of BRD4-NUT cell lines in vitro and in vivo (Filippakopoulos, et al. “Selective Inhibition of BET Bromodomains,” Nature (published online Sep. 24, 2010)).

Bromodomain-containing proteins (such as BET proteins) have also been implicated in inflammatory diseases. BET proteins {e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and BRDT) regulate assembly of histone acetylation-dependent chromatin complexes that control inflammatory gene expression (Hargreaves, et al. (2009) Cell 138:129-145; LeRoy, et al. (2008) Mol. Cel 30:51-60; Jang, et al. (2005) Mol. Cell 19:523-534; Yang, et al. (2005) Mol. Cell 19:535-545). Key inflammatory genes (secondary response genes) are down-regulated upon bromodomain inhibition of the BET subfamily, and non-responsive genes (primary response genes) are poised for transcription. BET bromodomain inhibition protects against LPS-induced endotoxic shock and bacteria-induced sepsis in vivo (Nicodeme, et al. “Suppression of Inflammation by a Synthetic Histone Mimic,” Nature (published online Nov. 10, 2010)).

Bromodomain-containing proteins (such as BET proteins) also play a role in viral disease. For example, BRD4 is implicated in human papilloma virus (HPV). In the primary phase of HPV infection of basal epithelia, the viral genome is maintained in an extra-chromosomal episome. In some strains of HPV, BRD4 binding to the HPV E2 protein functions to tether the viral genome to chromosomes. E2 is critical for both the repression of E6/E7 and the activation of HPV viral genes. Disruption of BRD4 or the BRD4-E2 interaction blocks E2-dependent gene activation. BRD4 also functions to tether other classes of viral genomes to host chromatin (e.g., Herpesvirus, Epstein-Barr virus).

In certain embodiments, a provided compound inhibits one or more of BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, BRDT, and/or another member of the bromodomain-containing proteins, or a mutant thereof. In some embodiments, a provided compound inhibits two or more of BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, BRDT, and/or another member of the bromodomain-containing proteins, or a mutant thereof. Provided compounds are inhibitors of one of more of the bromodomain-containing proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT and are therefore useful for treating one or more disorders associated with activity of one or more of the bromodomain-containing proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT. Thus, in certain embodiments, the present description provides a method for treating an bromodomain-containing protein-mediated disorder, such as a BET-mediated, a BRD2-mediated, a BRD3-mediated, a BRD4-mediated disorder, and/or a BRDT-mediated disorder comprising the step of inhibiting a bromodomain-containing protein, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof, by administering to a patient in need thereof a provided compound, or a pharmaceutically acceptable composition thereof.

As used herein, the terms “bromodomain-containing protein-mediated”, “BET-mediated”, “BRD2-mediated”, “BRD3-mediated”, “BRD4-mediated”, and/or “BRDT-mediated” disorders or conditions means any disease or other deleterious condition in which one or more of the bromodomain-containing proteins, such as BET proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof, are known to play a role.

In some embodiments, the BET family bromodomain can be BRD2, BRD3 or BRD4.

Accordingly, another embodiment of the present description relates to treating or lessening the severity of one or more diseases in which one or more of the bromodomain-containing proteins, such as BET proteins, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof, are known to play a role.

Diseases and conditions treatable according to the methods of the present description include, but are not limited to, cancer and other proliferative disorders, inflammatory diseases, sepsis, autoimmune disease, and viral infection. Thus one aspect is a method of treating a subject having a disease, disorder, or symptom thereof the method including administration of a compound or composition herein to the subject. In one embodiment, a human patient is treated with a compound of the present description and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle, wherein said compound is present in an amount to measurably inhibit bromodomain-containing protein activity (such as BET protein, e.g., BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT) in the patient.

The present description further relates to the use of provided compounds for the production of pharmaceutical compositions which are employed for the treatment and/or prophylaxis and/or amelioration of the diseases, disorders, illnesses and/or conditions as mentioned herein.

The present description further relates to the use of provided compounds for the production of pharmaceutical compositions which are employed for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of diseases and/or disorders responsive or sensitive to the inhibition of bromodomain-containing proteins, particularly those diseases mentioned above, such as e.g. cancer, inflammatory disease, viral disease.

According to some embodiments, the present description relates to a method of inhibiting bromodomain-containing proteins in a biological sample comprising the step of contacting said biological sample with a provided compound, or a composition thereof.

According to some embodiments, the present description relates to a method of inhibiting a bromodomain-containing protein, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof, activity in a biological sample comprising the step of contacting said biological sample with a provided compound, or a composition thereof.

The term “biological sample”, as used herein, includes, without limitation, cell cultures or extracts thereof, biopsied material obtained from a mammal or extracts thereof, and blood, saliva, urine, feces, semen, tears, or other body fluids or extracts thereof.

Inhibition of activity of a protein, e.g., a bromodomain-containing protein such as a BET protein (e.g. BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and/or BRDT), or a mutant thereof, in a biological sample is useful for a variety of purposes that are known to one of skill in the art. Examples of such purposes include, but are not limited to, blood transfusion, organ-transplantation, biological specimen storage, and biological assays.

According to another embodiment, the present description relates to a method of inhibiting activity of one or more bromodomain-containing protein, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof, in a patient comprising the step of administering to said patient a provided compound, or a composition comprising said compound. In certain embodiments, the present description provides a method for treating a disorder mediated by one or more bromodomain-containing proteins, such as a BET protein, such as BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and/or BRDT, or a mutant thereof, in a patient in need thereof, comprising the step of administering to said patient a provided compound or pharmaceutically acceptable composition thereof. Such disorders are described in detail herein.

Depending upon the particular condition, or disease, to be treated, additional therapeutic agents that are normally administered to treat that condition may also be present in the compositions of this disclosure or administered separately as a part of a dosage regimen. As used herein, additional therapeutic agents that are normally administered to treat a particular disease, or condition, are known as “appropriate for the disease, or condition, being treated.”

In some embodiments, the composition of a compound or compounds described herein can be in combination with an additional therapeutic agent.

In some embodiments, the additional therapeutic agent is an epigenetic drug. As used herein, the term “epigenetic drug” refers to a therapeutic agent that targets an epigenetic regulator. Examples of epigenetic regulators include the histone lysine methyltransferases, histone arginine methyl transferases, histone demethylases, histone deacetylases, histone acetylases, and DNA methyltransferases. Histone deacetylase inhibitors include, but are not limited to, vorinostat.

Other therapies, chemotherapeutic agents, or other anti-proliferative agents may be combined with a provided compound to treat proliferative diseases and cancer. Examples of therapies or anticancer agents that may be used in combination with compounds herein described include surgery, radiotherapy (e.g., gamma-radiation, neutron beam radiotherapy, electron beam radiotherapy, proton therapy, brachytherapy, and systemic radioactive isotopes), endocrine therapy, a biologic response modifier (e.g., an interferon, an interleukin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), hyperthermia and cryotherapy, an agent to attenuate any adverse effects (e.g., an antiemetic), and any other approved chemotherapeutic drug.

A provided compound may also be used to advantage in combination with one or more antiproliferative compounds. Such antiproliferative compounds include an aromatase inhibitor; an anti-estrogen; an anti-androgen; a gonadorelin agonist; a topoisomerase I inhibitor; a topoisomerase II inhibitor; a microtubule active agent; an alkylating agent; a retinoid, a carotenoid, or a tocopherol; a cyclooxygenase inhibitor; an MMP inhibitor; an mTOR inhibitor; an antimetabolite; a platin compound; a methionine aminopeptidase inhibitor; a bisphosphonate; an antiproliferative antibody; a heparanase inhibitor; an inhibitor of Ras oncogenic isoforms; a telomerase inhibitor; a proteasome inhibitor; a compound used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies; a Flt-3 inhibitor; an Hsp90 inhibitor; a kinesin spindle protein inhibitor; a MEK inhibitor; an antitumor antibiotic; a nitrosourea; a compound targeting/decreasing protein or lipid kinase activity, a compound targeting/decreasing protein or lipid phosphatase activity, or any further anti-angiogenic compound.

Exemplary aromatase inhibitors include steroids, such as atamestane, exemestane and formestane, and non-steroids, such as aminoglutethimide, rogletimide, pyridoglutethimide, trilostane, testolactone, ketoconazole, vorozole, fadrozole, anastrozole and letrozole.

Exemplary anti-estrogens include tamoxifen, fulvestrant, raloxifene and raloxifene hydrochloride. Anti-androgens include, but are not limited to, bicalutamide. Gonadorelin agonists include, but are not limited to, abarelix, goserelin and goserelin acetate.

Exemplary topoisomerase I inhibitors include topotecan, gimatecan, irinotecan, camptothecin and its analogues, 9-nitrocamptothecin and the macromolecular camptothecin conjugate PNU-166148. Topoisomerase II inhibitors include, but are not limited to, the anthracyclines such as doxorubicin, daunorubicin, epirubicin, idarubicin and nemorubicin, the anthraquinones mitoxantrone and losoxantrone, and the podophillotoxins etoposide and teniposide.

Exemplary microtubule active agents include microtubule stabilizing, microtubule destabilizing compounds and microtubulin polymerization inhibitors including, but not limited to taxanes, such as paclitaxel and docetaxel; vinca alkaloids, such as vinblastine or vinblastine sulfate, vincristine or vincristine sulfate, and vinorelbine; discodermolides; colchicine and epothilones and derivatives thereof.

Exemplary alkylating agents include cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, melphalan or nitrosoureas such as carmustine and lomustine.

Exemplary cyclooxygenase inhibitors include Cox-2 inhibitors, 5-alkyl substituted 2-arylaminophenylacetic acid and derivatives, such as celecoxib, rofecoxib, etoricoxib, valdecoxib or a 5-alkyl-2-arylaminophenylacetic acid, such as lumiracoxib.

Exemplary matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (“MMP inhibitors”) include collagen peptidomimetic and non-peptidomimetic inhibitors, tetracycline derivatives, batimastat, marimastat, prinomastat, metastat, BMS-279251, BAY 12-9566, TAA211, MMI270B, and AAJ996.

Exemplary mTOR inhibitors include compounds that inhibit the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and possess antiproliferative activity such as sirolimus, everolimus, CCI-779, and ABT578.

Exemplary antimetabolites include 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), capecitabine, gemcitabine, DNA demethylating compounds, such as 5-azacytidine and decitabine, methotrexate and edatrexate, and folic acid antagonists such as pemetrexed.

Exemplary platin-containing compounds include carboplatin, cisplatin, nedaplatin, and oxaliplatin.

Exemplary methionine aminopeptidase inhibitors include bengamide or a derivative thereof and PPI-2458.

Exemplary bisphosphonates include etidronic acid, clodronic acid, tiludronic acid, pamidronic acid, alendronic acid, ibandronic acid, risedronic acid and zoledronic acid.

Exemplary antiproliferative antibodies include trastuzumab, trastuzumab-DMI, cetuximab, bevacizumab, rituximab, PR064553, and 2C4. The term “antibody” is meant to include intact monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, multispecific antibodies formed from at least two intact antibodies, and antibody fragments, so long as they exhibit the desired biological activity.

Exemplary heparanase inhibitors include compounds that target, decrease or inhibit heparin sulfate degradation, such as PI-88 and OGT2115.

The term “an inhibitor of Ras oncogenic isoforms,” such as H-Ras, K-Ras, or N-Ras, as used herein refers to a compound which targets, decreases, or inhibits the oncogenic activity of Ras; for example, a farnesyl transferase inhibitor such as L-744832, DK8G557, tipifarnib, and lonafarnib.

Exemplary telomerase inhibitors include compounds that target, decrease or inhibit the activity of telomerase, such as compounds which inhibit the telomerase receptor, such as telomestatin.

Exemplary proteasome inhibitors include compounds that target, decrease or inhibit the activity of the proteasome including, but not limited to, bortezomib.

The phrase “compounds used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies” as used herein includes FMS-like tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which are compounds targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of FMS-like tyrosine kinase receptors (Flt-3R); interferon, I-β-D-arabinofuransylcytosine (ara-c) and busulfan; and ALK inhibitors, which are compounds which target, decrease or inhibit anaplastic lymphoma kinase.

Exemplary Flt-3 inhibitors include PKC412, midostaurin, a staurosporine derivative, SU11248 and MLN518.

Exemplary HSP90 inhibitors include compounds targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the intrinsic ATPase activity of HSP90; degrading, targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the HSP90 client proteins via the ubiquitin proteosome pathway. Compounds targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the intrinsic ATPase activity of HSP90 are especially compounds, proteins or antibodies which inhibit the ATPase activity of HSP90, such as 17-allylamino, 17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG), a geldanamycin derivative; other geldanamycin related compounds; radicicol and HDAC inhibitors.

The phrase “a compound targeting/decreasing a protein or lipid kinase activity; or a protein or lipid phosphatase activity; or any further anti-angiogenic compound” as used herein includes a protein tyrosine kinase and/or serine and/or threonine kinase inhibitor or lipid kinase inhibitor, such as a) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the platelet-derived growth factor-receptors (PDGFR), such as a compound which targets, decreases, or inhibits the activity of PDGFR, such as an N-phenyl-2-pyrimidine-amine derivatives, such as imatinib, SU101, SU6668 and GFB-111; b) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the fibroblast growth factor-receptors (FGFR); c) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the insulin-like growth factor receptor I (IGF-IR), such as a compound which targets, decreases, or inhibits the activity of IGF-IR; d) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the Trk receptor tyrosine kinase family, or ephrin B4 inhibitors; e) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the Axl receptor tyrosine kinase family; f) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the Ret receptor tyrosine kinase; g) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the Kit/SCFR receptor tyrosine kinase, such as imatinib; h) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the c-Kit receptor tyrosine kinases, such as imatinib; i) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of members of the c-Abl family, their gene-fusion products (e.g. Bcr-Abl kinase) and mutants, such as an N-phenyl-2-pyrimidine-amine derivative, such as imatinib or nilotinib; PD180970; AG957; NSC 680410; PD173955; or dasatinib; j) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of members of the protein kinase C (PKC) and Raf family of serine/threonine kinases, members of the MEK, SRC, JAK, FAK, PDK1, PKB/Akt, and Ras/MAPK family members, and/or members of the cyclin-dependent kinase family (CDK), such as a staurosporine derivative disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,330, such as midostaurin; examples of further compounds include UCN-01, safingol, BAY 43-9006, bryostatin 1, perifosine; ilmofosine; RO 318220 and RO 320432; GO 6976; ISIS 3521; LY333531/LY379196; a isochinoline compound; a farnesyl transferase inhibitor; PD184352 or QAN697, or AT7519; k) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of a protein-tyrosine kinase, such as imatinib mesylate or a tyrphostin such as Tyrphostin A23/RG-50810; AG 99; Tyrphostin AG 213; Tyrphostin AG 1748; Tyrphostin AG 490; Tyrphostin B44; Tyrphostin B44 (+) enantiomer; Tyrphostin AG 555; AG 494; Tyrphostin AG 556, AG957 and adaphostin (4-{[(2,5-dihydroxyphenyl)methyl] amino}-benzoic acid adamantyl ester; NSC 680410, adaphostin); 1) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the epidermal growth factor family of receptor tyrosine kinases (EGFR, ErbB2, ErbB3, ErbB4 as homo- or heterodimers) and their mutants, such as CP 358774, ZD 1839, ZM 105180; trastuzumab, cetuximab, gefitinib, erlotinib, OSI-774, CI-1033, EKB-569, GW-2016, antibodies EI.I, E2.4, E2.5, E6.2, E6.4, E2.I I, E6.3 and E7.6.3, and 7H-pyrrolo-[2,3-d]pyrimidine derivatives; and m) a compound targeting, decreasing or inhibiting the activity of the c-Met receptor.

Exemplary compounds that target, decrease or inhibit the activity of a protein or lipid phosphatase include inhibitors of phosphatase 1, phosphatase 2A, or CDC25, such as okadaic acid or a derivative thereof.

Further anti-angiogenic compounds include compounds having another mechanism for their activity unrelated to protein or lipid kinase inhibition, e.g. thalidomide and TNP-470.

Additional exemplary chemotherapeutic compounds, one or more of which may be used in combination with provided compounds, include: daunorubicin, adriamycin, Ara-C, VP-16, teniposide, mitoxantrone, idarubicin, carboplatinum, PKC412, 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP), fludarabine phosphate, octreotide, SOM230, FTY720, 6-thioguanine, cladribine, 6-mercaptopurine, pentostatin, hydroxyurea, 2-hydroxy-IH-isoindole-I,3-dione derivatives, I-(4-chloroanilino)-4-(4-pyridylmethyl)phthalazine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, 1-(4-chloroanilino)-4-(4-pyridylmethyl)phthalazine succinate, angiostatin, endostatin, anthranilic acid amides, ZD4190, ZD6474, SU5416, SU6668, bevacizumab, rhuMAb, rhuFab, macugen; FLT-4 inhibitors, FLT-3 inhibitors, VEGFR-2 IgGI antibody, RPI 4610, bevacizumab, porfimer sodium, anecortave, triamcinolone, hydrocortisone, 11α-epihydrocotisol, cortexolone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, corticosterone, desoxycorticosterone, testosterone, estrone, dexamethasone, fluocinolone, a plant alkaloid, a hormonal compound and/or antagonist, a biological response modifier, such as a lymphokine or interferon, an antisense oligonucleotide or oligonucleotide derivative, shRNA or siRNA, or a miscellaneous compound or compound with other or unknown mechanism of action.

For a more comprehensive discussion of updated cancer therapies see: The Merck Manual, 17^(th) Ed. 1999. See also the National Cancer Institute (CNI) website (www.nci.nih.gov) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website for a list of the FDA approved oncology drugs.

Other examples of additional therapeutic agents, one or more of which a provided compound may also be combined with include: a treatment for Alzheimer's Disease such as donepezil and rivastigmine; a treatment for Parkinson's Disease such as L-DOPA/carbidopa, entacapone, ropinirole, pramipexole, bromocriptine, pergolide, trihexyphenidyl, and amantadine; an agent for treating multiple sclerosis (MS) such as beta interferon {e.g., Avonex® and Rebif®), glatiramer acetate, and mitoxantrone; a treatment for asthma such as albuterol and montelukast; an agent for treating schizophrenia such as zyprexa, risperdal, seroquel, and haloperidol; an anti-inflammatory agent such as a corticosteroid, a TNF blocker, IL-1 RA, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide, and sulfasalazine; an immunomodulatory agent, including immunosuppressive agents, such as cyclosporin, tacrolimus, rapamycin, mycophenolate mofetil, an interferon, a corticosteroid, cyclophosphamide, azathioprine, and sulfasalazine; a neurotrophic factor such as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, an MAO inhibitor, an interferon, an anti-convulsant, an ion channel blocker, riluzole, or an anti-Parkinson's agent; an agent for treating cardiovascular disease such as a beta-blocker, an ACE inhibitor, a diuretic, a nitrate, a calcium channel blocker, or a statin; an agent for treating liver disease such as a corticosteroid, cholestyramine, an interferon, and an anti-viral agent; an agent for treating blood disorders such as a corticosteroid, an anti-leukemic agent, or a growth factor; or an agent for treating immunodeficiency disorders such as gamma globulin.

The above-mentioned compounds, one or more of which can be used in combination with a provided compound, can be prepared and administered as described in the art.

Provided compounds can be administered alone or in combination with one or more other therapeutic compounds, possible combination therapy taking the form of fixed combinations or the administration of a provided compound and one or more other therapeutic compounds being staggered or given independently of one another, or the combined administration of fixed combinations and one or more other therapeutic compounds. Provided compounds can besides or in addition be administered especially for tumor therapy in combination with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, phototherapy, surgical intervention, or a combination of these. Long-term therapy is equally possible as is adjuvant therapy in the context of other treatment strategies, as described above. Other possible treatments are therapy to maintain the patient's status after tumor regression, or even chemopreventive therapy, for example in patients at risk.

Such additional agents may be administered separately from a composition containing a provided compound, as part of a multiple dosage regimen. Alternatively, those agents may be part of a single dosage form, mixed together with a provided compound in a single composition. If administered as part of a multiple dosage regimen, the two active agents may be submitted simultaneously, sequentially or within a period of time from one another normally within five hours from one another.

Upon improvement of a subject's condition, a maintenance dose of a compound, composition or combination of the present description may be administered, if necessary. Subsequently, the dosage or frequency of administration, or both, may be reduced, as a function of the symptoms, to a level at which the improved condition is retained when the symptoms have been alleviated to the desired level, treatment should cease. The subject may, however, require intermittent treatment on a long-term basis upon any recurrence of disease symptoms.

It will be understood, however, that the total daily usage of the compounds and compositions of the present description will be decided by the attending physician within the scope of sound medical judgment. The specific inhibitory dose for any particular patient will depend upon a variety of factors including the disorder being treated and the severity of the disorder; the activity of the specific compound employed; the specific composition employed; the age, body weight, general health, sex and diet of the patient; the time of administration, route of administration, and rate of excretion of the specific compound employed; the duration of the treatment; drugs used in combination or coincidental with the specific compound employed; and like factors well known in the medical arts.

The total daily inhibitory dose of the compounds of the present description administered to a subject in single or in divided doses can be in amounts, for example, from 0.01 to 50 mg/kg body weight or more usually from 0.1 to 25 mg/kg body weight. Single dose compositions may contain such amounts or submultiples thereof to make up the daily dose. In one embodiment, treatment regimens according to the present description comprise administration to a patient in need of such treatment from about 10 mg to about 1000 mg of the compound(s) of the present description per day in single or multiple doses.

As used herein, the term “combination,” “combined,” and related terms refers to the simultaneous or sequential administration of therapeutic agents in accordance with the present description. For example, a provided compound may be administered with another therapeutic agent simultaneously or sequentially in separate unit dosage forms or together in a single unit dosage form. Accordingly, an embodiment of the present description provides a single unit dosage form comprising a provided compound, an additional therapeutic agent, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, adjuvant, or vehicle for use in the methods of the present description.

The amount of both, a provided compound and additional therapeutic agent (in those compositions which comprise an additional therapeutic agent as described above) that may be combined with the carrier materials to produce a single dosage form will vary depending upon the host treated and the particular mode of administration. Preferably, compositions should be formulated such that a dosage of between 0.01-100 mg/kg body weight/day of a provided compound can be administered.

In those compositions which comprise an additional therapeutic agent, that additional therapeutic agent and the provided compound may act synergistically. Therefore, the amount of additional therapeutic agent in such compositions will be less than that required in a monotherapy utilizing only that therapeutic agent. In such compositions a dosage of between 0.01-1,000 g/kg body weight/day of the additional therapeutic agent can be administered.

The amount of additional therapeutic agent present in the compositions of this disclosure will be no more than the amount that would normally be administered in a composition comprising that therapeutic agent as the only active agent. Preferably the amount of additional therapeutic agent in the presently disclosed compositions will range from about 50% to 100% of the amount normally present in a composition comprising that agent as the only therapeutically active agent.

Provided compounds, or pharmaceutical compositions thereof, may also be incorporated into compositions for coating an implantable medical device, such as prostheses, artificial valves, vascular grafts, stents and catheters. Vascular stents, for example, have been used to overcome restenosis (re-narrowing of the vessel wall after injury). However, patients using stents or other implantable devices risk clot formation or platelet activation. These unwanted effects may be prevented or mitigated by pre-coating the device with a pharmaceutically acceptable composition comprising a provided compound. Implantable devices coated with a compound of the present description are another embodiment of the present description.

In another aspect, the present description provides a method of method of synthesizing a compound of any of the formulae herein. Another embodiment is a method of making a compound of any of the formulae herein using any one, or combination of, reactions delineated herein. The method can include the use of one or more intermediates or chemical reagents delineated herein.

The recitation of a listing of chemical groups in any definition of a variable herein includes definitions of that variable as any single group or combination of listed groups. The recitation of an embodiment for a variable herein includes that embodiment as any single embodiment or in combination with any other embodiments or portions thereof. The recitation of an embodiment herein includes that embodiment as any single embodiment or in combination with any other embodiments or portions thereof.

EXAMPLES

The Examples set forth herein below provide syntheses and experimental results obtained for certain exemplary compounds. Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, reaction conditions, concentrations, properties, stabilities, and so forth used in the specification and claims are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” At the very least, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the present specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the properties sought to be obtained. Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the embodiments are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contain certain errors resulting from variations in experiments, testing measurements, statistical analyses and such.

The following is to be construed as merely illustrative, and not limitations of the preceding disclosure in any way whatsoever. Those skilled in the art will promptly recognize appropriate variations from the procedures both as to reactants and as to reaction conditions and techniques. In some cases, starting materials or intermediates may be commercially available. Commercial material may be generally available from known sources, for example, Sigma-Aldrich, Bachem, Lancaster, Alfa Aesar, etc.

Chemical Synthesis of Exemplary Compounds

General:

All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (° C.) and are uncorrected. Reagent grade chemicals and anhydrous solvent were purchased from commercial sources and unless otherwise mentioned, were used without further purification. The names of the products were determined using the naming software included in the Contour Software AB electronic lab notebook iLabber version 4.11.3075.18678. Flash chromatography was performed on Teledyne Isco instruments using pre-packaged disposable SiO₂ stationary phase columns with eluent flow rates ranging from 5 to 300 mL/min, UV detection (254 and 280 nm). HPLC purifications were performed on a Gilson HPLC with a Phenomenex Gemini column, C18, 150:30 mm, 5 micron, eluting at 40 mL/min with mixtures of MeOH and water containing 0.1% (NH₄)₂CO₃ (high pH), or mixtures of MeCN and water containing 0.1% formic acid (low pH). Chiral isomer separation were performed on a Minigram Semi-Preparative SFC from Mettler-Toledo. The analytical HPLC chromatograms were performed using an Agilent 1100 series instrument. The mass spectra were recorded with a Waters Micromass ZQ detector at 120° C. The mass spectrometer was equipped with an electrospray ion source (ESI) operated in a positive ion mode and was set to scan between m/z 150-750 with a scan time of 0.3 s. Products and intermediates were analyzed by HPLC/MS on a X-Bridge C₁₈, (3.5 μM, 2.10×30 mm) using a high pH buffer gradient of 5% to 95% of MeOH in H₂O (0.03% (NH₄)₂CO₃/0.375% NH₄OH) over 4.5 min at 1 mL/min for a 6 min run. The ¹H NMR spectra were recorded on a Bruker UltraShield 500 MHz/54 mm instrument (BZH 43/500/70B, D221/54-3209). The chemical shifts are reported in part-per-million from a tetramethylsilane standard.

As used herein, the following abbreviations may have the following meanings:

Abbreviation Term Cl₃CCN Trichloroacetonitrile CDCl₃ Deuterated chloroform Cs₂CO₃ Cesium carbonate d Day(s) DCM Dichloromethane DCE Dichloroethane DME 1,2-dimethoxyethane Et₃N Triethylamine EtOAc Ethyl acetate h Hour(s) HATU (dimethylamino)-N,N-dimethyl(3H- [1,2,3]triazolo[4,5-b)]pyridin-3- yloxy)methaniminium hexafluorophosphate HPLC High-performance liquid chromatography MS Mass spectrometry min Minute(s) MeOH Methanol MgSO₄ Magnesium sulfate N₂ Nitrogen NaHCO₃ Sodium bicarbonate NMR Nuclear magnetic resonance Pd(PPh₃)₄ Tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) POCl₃ Phosphoryl chloride PPh₃ Triphenylphosphine iPr₂NEt N,N-Diisopropylethylamine rt room temperature

General Synthetic Schemes

Experimental Procedure General Procedure to Prepare Bromo-Triazolo Pyridine Using Approach 1 Intermediate 1: Preparation of 3-benzyl-6-bromo-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

To a suspension of (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (203 mg, 1.08 mmol) in DCE (7 mL) was added 2-phenylacetic acid (147 mg, 1.08 mmol), PPh₃ (849 mg, 3.24 mmol), iPr₂NEt (279 mg, 2.16 mmol) and Cl₃CCN (312 mg, 2.16 mmol) and the reaction mixture was heated in a sealed tube at 150° C. for 30 min. The mixture was cooled to rt, diluted with EtOAc (20 mL) and water (10 mL). The organic phase was washed with water (2×10 mL), dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure. The material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel using a mixture of MeOH in DCM as eluent to afford Intermediate 1 (103 mg, 33%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.85 (dd, J=1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.66 (dd, J=9.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.36-7.20 (m, 6H), 4.53 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 288.1/290.1.

Intermediate 2: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(tetrahydropyran-4-ylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 1 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (319 mg, 1.70 mmol) with 2-tetrahydropyran-4-ylacetic acid (245 mg, 1.70 mmol) to afford Intermediate 2 (180 mg, 36%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 8.04 (dd, J=1.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=9.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.32-7.23 (m, 1H), 3.97 (dd, J=10.6, 3.6 Hz, 2H), 3.41 (td, J=11.9, 2.1 Hz, 2H), 2.98 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.27 (ddd, J=11.4, 7.6, 4.1 Hz, 1H), 1.76-1.69 (m, 2H), 1.55-1.40 (m, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 296.1/298.1.

Intermediate 3: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 1 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (303 mg, 1.61 mmol) with 2-(4-fluorophenyl)acetic acid (248 mg, 1.61 mmol) to afford Intermediate 3 (159 mg, 32%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.85 (dd, J=1.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=3.2, 1.2 Hz, 1H), 7.29-7.25 (m, 1H), 7.25-7.20 (m, 2H), 7.08-6.99 (m, 2H), 4.49 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]+ 306.1/308.1.

Intermediate 4: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 1 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (416 mg, 2.12 mmol) with 2-(4-chlorophenyl)acetic acid (377 mg, 2.12 mmol) to afford Intermediate 4 (200 mg, 36%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.84 (dd, J=1.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.67 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.36-7.15 (m, 5H), 4.48 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]+ 322.1/324.1/326.1.

Intermediate 5: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 1 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (281 mg, 1.50 mmol) with 2-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]acetic acid (305 mg, 1.50 mmol) to afford Intermediate 5 (144 mg, 27%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.88 (s, 1H), 7.69 (td, J=4.0, 2.5 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (t, J=1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.57-7.55 (m, 2H), 7.49-7.47 (m, 1H), 7.31-7.27 (m, 1H), 4.57 (s, 2H); MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 356.1/358.1.

Intermediate 6: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(2-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 1 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (320 mg, 1.70 mmol) with 2-(2-fluorophenyl)acetic acid (262 mg, 1.70 mmol) to afford Intermediate 6 (100 mg, 19%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 8.08-7.97 (m, 1H), 7.70-7.60 (m, 2H), 7.29-7.24 (m, 2H), 7.16-7.00 (m, 2H), 4.51 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 306.1/308.1.

General Procedure to Prepare Bromo-Triazolo Pyridine Using Approach 2

Intermediate 7: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(1S)-1-phenylethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

To a solution of (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (303.0 mg, 1.61 mmol) in dry DCM (7 mL) at 0° C. was added (2S)-2-phenylpropanoic acid (242 mg, 1.61 mmol), Et₃N (0.25 mL, 1.77 mmol) and HATU (672 mg, 1.77 mmol) and the reaction mixture was stirred at rt for 1 h. The mixture was diluted with saturated NaHCO₃ (10 ml) and DCM (10 ml) and then the phases were separated. The aqueous phase was extracted with DCM (2×20 mL) and then the combined organic layers were dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure. The crude amide was suspended in POCl₃ (5 mL) and then heated to 90° C. for 12 h. The mixture was cooled to rt, poured into saturated NaHCO₃ (20 ml) and the mixture was further neutralized by the addition of solid NaHCO₃. The aqueous phase was extracted with DCM (3×50 mL) and the combined organic layers were dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure. The material was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel using a mixture of MeOH in DCM as eluent to afford Intermediate 7 (310 mg, 64%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.72 (s, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.36-7.31 (m, 2H), 7.28 (dt, J=4.6, 1.9 Hz, 1H), 7.23-7.20 (m, 3H), 4.42 (q, J=7.1 Hz, 1H), 1.97 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 302.2/304.2.

Intermediate 8: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(cyclohexylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (349 mg, 1.86 mmol) with 2-cyclohexylacetic acid (264 mg, 1.85 mmol) to afford Intermediate 8 (355 mg, 65%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 8.03 (dd, J=1.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.64 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.25 (dd, J=9.8, 1.8 Hz, 1H), 2.94 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 1.98-1.87 (m, 1H), 1.83-1.62 (m, 5H), 1.27-1.08 (m, 5H).

Intermediate 9: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(3,5-difluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (322 mg, 1.71 mmol) with 2-(3,5-difluorophenyl)acetic acid (295 mg, 1.71 mmol) to afford Intermediate 9 (203 mg, 37%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.86 (dd, J=1.6, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.69 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.30 (dd, J=9.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 6.81-6.68 (m, 3H), 4.50 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 324.1/326.1.

Intermediate 10: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (303 mg, 1.61 mmol) with 2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]acetic acid (329 mg, 1.61 mmol) to afford Intermediate 10 (148 mg, 26%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3) δ 7.87 (s, 1H), 7.68 (d, J=9.7 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.38 (d, J=7.9 Hz, 2H), 7.33-7.22 (m, 1H), 4.57 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 356.0/358.0.

Intermediate 11: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclopropyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (330 mg, 1.76 mmol) with 1-phenylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid (285 mg, 1.76 mmol) to afford Intermediate 11 (375 mg, 68%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.95 (dd, J=1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.20 (m, 4H), 7.17-7.10 (m, 2H), 1.69-1.63 (m, 2H), 1.59 (dd, J=13.2, 8.8 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 314.1/316.1.

Intermediate 12: 1 Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(1R)-1-phenylethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (350 mg, 1.86 mmol) with (2R)-2-phenylpropanoic acid (280 mg, 1.86 mmol) to afford Intermediate 12 (246 mg, 44%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.65 (s, 1H), 7.58 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.31-7.23 (m, 2H), 7.23-7.17 (m, 1H), 7.17-7.09 (m, 3H), 4.36 (q, J=7.1 Hz, 1H), 1.90 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 302.1/304.1.

Intermediate 13: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[(3-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (160 mg, 0.85 mmol) with 2-(3-fluorophenyl)acetic acid (131 mg, 0.85 mmol) to afford Intermediate 13 (181 mg, 69%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.85 (s, 1H), 7.68 (d, J=9.6 Hz, 1H), 7.37-7.24 (m, 2H), 7.08-6.90 (m, 3H), 4.52 (s, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 306.1/308.1

Intermediate 14: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (317 mg, 1.69 mmol) with 1-(3-chlorophenyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (332 mg, 1.69 mmol) to afford Intermediate 14 (258 mg, 44%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.99-7.88 (m, 1H), 7.67 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.32-7.24 (m, 3H), 7.11-7.05 (m, 2H), 1.70 (dd, J=7.1, 4.8 Hz, 2H), 1.56 (dd, J=7.1, 4.8 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 348.0/350.0/352.0.

Intermediate 15: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (217 mg, 1.15 mmol) with 1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (227 mg, 1.15 mmol) to afford Intermediate 15 (402 mg, 99%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.95 (dd, J=1.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.32-7.25 (m, 1H), 7.22 (dd, J=3.8, 1.5 Hz, 2H), 7.12 (dd, J=2.4, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.02-6.96 (m, 1H), 1.69 (dd, J=7.1, 4.7 Hz, 2H), 1.59 (dd, J=7.2, 4.8 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 348.0/350.0/352.0.

Intermediate 16: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(p-tolyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (312 mg, 1.66 mmol) with 1-(p-tolyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (292 mg, 1.66 mmol) to afford Intermediate 16 (368 mg, 67%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.97 (dd, J=1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=9.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.25 (dd, J=9.3, 1.4 Hz, 1H), 7.11 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.09-7.01 (m, 2H), 2.31 (s, 3H), 1.67-1.63 (m, 2H), 1.54 (dd, J=7.1, 4.6 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 328.1/330.1.

Intermediate 17: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (304 mg, 1.62 mmol) with 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-propanoic acid (321 mg, 1.62 mmol) to afford Intermediate 17 (339 mg, 60%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.66 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.36 (dd, J=1.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.34-7.30 (m, 2H), 7.20 (dd, J=9.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.16-7.06 (m, 2H), 1.91 (s, 6H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 348.2/350.2/352.2.

Intermediate 18: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (328 mg, 1.74 mmol) with 1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutanecarboxylic acid (368 mg, 1.74 mmol) to afford Intermediate 18 (268.0 mg, 42%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.66 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.58-7.53 (m, 1H), 7.36-7.29 (m, 2H), 7.29-7.19 (m, 3H), 3.17-3.06 (m, 2H), 2.85-2.72 (m, 2H), 2.29-2.12 (m, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 362.1/364.1/366.1.

Intermediate 19: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(m-tolyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (496 mg, 2.64 mmol) with 1-(m-tolyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (465 mg, 2.64 mmol) to afford Intermediate 19 (549 mg, 63%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.95 (dd, J=1.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.50 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.45-7.36 (m, 2H), 7.32-7.24 (m, 2H), 2.79 (s, 3H), 1.74 (dd, J=7.2, 4.8 Hz, 2H), 1.63 (dd, J=7.2, 4.8 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 328.2/330.2.

Intermediate 20: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (370 mg, 1.97 mmol) with 1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl] cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (453 mg, 1.97 mmol) to afford Intermediate 20 (429 mg, 57%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.97 (dd, J=1.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65 (dd, J=9.7, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.28-7.23 (m, 1H), 7.19 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.07-7.01 (m, 1H), 7.01-6.89 (m, 2H), 1.65 (dd, J=6.9, 4.5 Hz, 2H), 1.56 (dd, J=6.9, 4.9 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 382.0/384.0.

Intermediate 21: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(3-fluorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (250 mg, 1.33 mmol) with 1-(3-fluorophenyl)cyclopropanecarboxylic acid (240 mg, 1.33 mmol) to afford Intermediate 21 (330 mg, 75%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.94 (dd, J=1.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.68 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.33-7.21 (m, 2H), 6.93 (tdd, J=8.3, 2.5, 0.7 Hz, 1H), 6.86 (ddd, J=7.8, 1.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 6.84-6.76 (m, 1H), 1.70 (dd, J=7.1, 4.7 Hz, 2H), 1.58 (dd, J=7.2, 4.8 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 332.1/334.1.

Intermediate 22: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclobutyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (370 mg, 1.97 mmol) with 1-phenylcyclobutanecarboxylic acid (347 mg, 1.97 mmol) to afford Intermediate 22 (309 mg, 48%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.66 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.58 (s, 1H), 7.35 (dt, J=8.9, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.32-7.28 (m, 2H), 7.28-7.23 (m, 2H), 7.20 (dd, J=9.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 3.15-3.05 (m, 2H), 2.89-2.78 (m, 2H), 2.22-2.08 (m, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 328.1/330.1.

Intermediate 23: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclopentyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (399 mg, 2.12 mmol) with 1-phenylcyclopentanecarboxylic acid (404 mg, 2.12 mmol) to afford Intermediate 23 (519 mg, 71%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.63 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.58 (dd, J=1.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.34-7.29 (m, 2H), 7.27-7.23 (m, 1H), 7.23-7.19 (m, 2H), 7.19-7.15 (m, 1H), 2.82-2.68 (m, 2H), 2.39 (qd, J=7.5, 2.0 Hz, 2H), 1.93-1.82 (m, 4H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 342.1/344.1.

Intermediate 24: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (360 mg, 1.92 mmol) with 2-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-propanoic acid (380 mg, 1.92 mmol) to afford Intermediate 24 (162 mg, 25%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.69 (dd, J=9.7, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.37 (dd, J=1.6, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.30-7.27 (m, 2H), 7.25-7.21 (m, 2H), 7.03-7.00 (m, 1H), 1.92 (s, 6H); MS (ESI)[M+H]⁺ 350.0/352.0/354.0.

Intermediate 25: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (380 mg, 2.02 mmol) with 1-phenylcyclohexanecarboxylic acid (413 mg, 2.02 mmol) to afford Intermediate 25 (430 mg, 60%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.64 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.54-7.49 (m, 1H), 7.32 (dq, J=3.6, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 7.30-7.20 (m, 3H), 7.15 (dd, J=9.7, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 2.66 (d, J=13.3 Hz, 2H), 2.18 (ddd, J=11.0, 9.6, 3.6 Hz, 2H), 1.87-1.63 (m, 5H), 1.44 (dd, J=6.5, 3.2 Hz, 1H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 356.2/358.2.

Intermediate 26: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(2-phenylethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (291 mg, 1.55 mmol) with 3-phenylpropanoic acid (232 mg, 1.55 mmol) to afford Intermediate 26 (300 mg, 64%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.62 (dd, J=9.2, 1.3 Hz, 2H), 7.31-7.24 (m, 3H), 7.22 (dt, J=4.6, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.19-7.15 (m, 2H), 3.39-3.34 (m, 2H), 3.25 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 302.1/304.1.

Intermediate 27: Preparation of 6-bromo-3-(1-methyl-1-phenyl-ethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine

Following described experimental procedure for Intermediate 7 and using (5-bromo-2-pyridyl)hydrazine (379 mg, 2.02 mmol) with 2-methyl-2-phenyl-propanoic acid (331 mg, 2.02 mmol) to afford Intermediate 27 (479 mg, 75%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.65 (dd, J=9.7, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.38-7.33 (m, 2H), 7.31 (m, 2H), 7.21-7.15 (m, 3H), 1.93 (s, 6H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 316.1/318.1.

Example 1: 5-(3-benzyl-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl)-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

To a suspension 3-benzyl-6-bromo-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 1; 100 mg, 0.35 mmol) in DME (2 mL) and water (0.2 mL) was added 1,3-dimethyl-5-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)pyridin-2-one (prepared using described procedure in US20130053362; 104 mg, 0.42 mmol), Cs₂CO₃ (283 mg, 0.878 mmol) and Pd(PPh₃)₄ (40 mg, 0.035 mmol) and the reaction mixture was degassed with N₂ for 5 min then heated in a sealed tube at 90° C. for 12 h. The mixture was cooled to rt, diluted with EtOAc (10 mL) and water (10 mL). The phase was separated and the organic layer was dried over MgSO₄, filtered and concentrated under reduced pressure. The material was purified by flash chromatography on silica using a mixture of MeOH in DCM as eluent then followed by preparative HPLC purification to afford Compound 1 (60 mg, 52%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (dd, J=9.5, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.65-7.60 (m, 1H), 7.35 (ddd, J=7.5, 6.2, 1.4 Hz, 2H), 7.32-7.27 (m, 4H), 7.20 (d, J=0.7 Hz, 2H), 4.59 (s, 2H), 3.59 (s, 3H), 2.20 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 331.3.

Example 2: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(tetrahydropyran-4-ylmethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(tetrahydropyran-4-ylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 2; 180 mg, 0.61 mmol) to afford Compound 2 (29.9 mg, 52%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.85-7.82 (m, 1H), 7.79 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.42 (dt, J=8.1, 1.8 Hz, 2H), 7.31 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 3.99 (dd, J=10.8, 3.3 Hz, 2H), 3.66 (s, 3H), 3.43 (td, J=11.9, 2.1 Hz, 2H), 3.03 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.41-2.31 (m, 1H), 2.26 (s, 3H), 1.76 (dd, J=12.9, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 1.57-1.45 (m, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 339.2.

Example 3: 5-[3-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(4-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 3; 159 mg, 0.52 mmol) to afford Compound 3 (26.1 mg, 14%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.79 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65-7.58 (m, 1H), 7.31-7.20 (m, 5H), 7.03 (dd, J=9.6, 7.6 Hz, 2H), 4.55 (s, 2H), 3.60 (s, 3H), 2.21 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 349.2.

Example 4: 5-[3-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 4; 150 mg, 0.47 mmol) to afford Compound 4 (43.5 mg, 26%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.80 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.65-7.52 (m, 1H), 7.34-7.30 (m, 2H), 7.29 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.25-7.19 (m, 4H), 4.55 (s, 2H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 2.21 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 365.2.

Example 5: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 5; 144 mg, 0.40 mmol) to afford Compound 5 (36.8 mg, 23%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.81 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.66 (dd, J=10.0, 8.8 Hz, 2H), 7.61-7.55 (m, 1H), 7.47 (dd, J=3.8, 1.4 Hz, 2H), 7.31 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.28-7.23 (m, 2H), 4.63 (s, 2H), 3.60 (s, 3H), 2.19 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 399.2.

Example 6: 5-[3-[(2-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(2-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 6; 100 mg, 0.33 mmol) to afford Compound 6 (39 mg, 34%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.87 (s, 1H), 7.78 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.37-7.23 (m, 5H), 7.16-7.05 (m, 2H), 4.58 (s, 2H), 3.63 (s, 3H), 2.24 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 349.2.

Example 7: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[(1 S)-1-phenylethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(1S)-1-phenylethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 7, 322 mg, 1.07 mmol) to afford Compound 7 (120 mg, 33%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.50-7.43 (m, 1H), 7.38-7.28 (m, 3H), 7.28-7.20 (m, 3H), 7.11 (dt, J=7.8, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 4.50 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 1H), 3.57 (s, 3H), 2.18 (s, 3H), 2.01 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 345.2.

Example 8: 5-[3-(cyclohexylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(cyclohexylmethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 8; 355 mg, 1.21 mmol) to afford Compound 8 (100 mg, 25%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.86-7.81 (m, 1H), 7.77 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.41 (dt, J=6.9, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 7.28 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 3.65 (s, 3H), 2.99 (d, J=7.2 Hz, 2H), 2.26 (s, 3H), 1.98 (ddd, J=11.1, 7.5, 3.8 Hz, 1H), 1.84-1.63 (m, 5H), 1.32-1.05 (m, 5H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 337.3.

Example 9: 5-[3-[(3,5-difluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(3,5-difluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 9; 203 mg, 0.626 mmol) to afford Compound 9 (102 mg, 44%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.82 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.71-7.58 (m, 1H), 7.35-7.26 (m, 3H), 6.86-6.79 (m, 2H), 6.74 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 1H), 4.55 (s, 2H), 3.62 (s, 3H), 2.22 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 367.2.

Example 10: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 10; 148 mg, 0.42 mmol) to afford Compound 10 (78 mg, 47%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.81 (dd, J=9.5, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.61 (dd, J=4.8, 3.2 Hz, 2H), 7.41 (d, J=8.0 Hz, 2H), 7.30 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.26-7.21 (m, 3H), 4.64 (s, 2H), 3.60 (s, 3H), 2.21 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 399.1.

Example 11: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(1-phenylcyclopropyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclopropyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 11; 375 mg, 1.07 mmol) to afford Compound 11 (33.0 mg, 9%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.87 (dd, J=9.5, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.83-7.76 (m, 1H), 7.43 (dd, J=6.9, 1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.41-7.34 (m, 3H), 7.34-7.25 (m, 4H), 3.69 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 3H), 2.29 (s, 3H), 1.85 (q, J=4.6 Hz, 2H), 1.70 (q, J=4.7 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 357.3.

Example 12: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[(1R)-1-phenyl ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(1R)-1-phenylethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 12; 246 mg, 0.81 mmol) to afford Compound 12 (50 mg, 18%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.77 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.47 (s, 1H), 7.35 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 2H), 7.29 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 1H), 7.26-7.22 (m, 3H), 7.13-7.09 (m, 2H), 4.50 (q, J=7.1 Hz, 1H), 3.57 (s, 3H), 2.17 (s, 3H), 2.01 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]+ 345.2.

Example 13: 5-[3-[(3-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[(3-fluorophenyl)methyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 13; 180 mg, 0.59 mmol) to afford Compound 13 (23 mg, 11%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.80 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.67-7.61 (m, 1H), 7.30 (ddd, J=9.5, 6.7, 1.7 Hz, 2H), 7.24 (s, 2H), 7.06 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 6.98 (dd, J=15.2, 5.2 Hz, 2H), 4.58 (s, 2H), 3.61 (s, 3H), 2.21 (s, 3H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 349.2.

Example 14: 5-[3-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 14; 260 mg, 0.75 mmol) to afford Compound 14 (24 mg, 8%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.73 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (s, 1H), 7.27-7.20 (m, 3H), 7.12 (dt, J=4.7, 2.5 Hz, 2H), 7.09-7.01 (m, 2H), 3.53 (s, 3H), 2.14 (s, 3H), 1.69 (q, J=4.7 Hz, 2H), 1.58-1.48 (m, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 391.2/393.2.

Example 15; 5-[3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 15; 402 mg, 1.15 mmol) to afford Compound 15 (35 mg, 8%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.73 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.60 (s, 1H), 7.27-7.17 (m, 3H), 7.17-7.09 (m, 2H), 7.07-7.01 (m, 2H), 3.53 (s, 3H), 2.14 (s, 3H), 1.69 (q, J=4.7 Hz, 2H), 1.58-1.44 (m, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]+ 391.2/393.2.

Example 16: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[1-(p-tolyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(p-tolyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 16; 368 mg, 1.12 mmol) to afford Compound 16 (47 mg, 11%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.75 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.71-7.66 (m, 1H), 7.28-7.23 (m, 1H), 7.16 (t, J=2.6 Hz, 2H), 7.16-7.06 (m, 4H), 3.58 (s, 3H), 2.31 (s, 3H), 2.19 (s, 3H), 1.71 (q, J=4.5 Hz, 2H), 1.55 (q, J=4.6 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]+ 371.2.

Example 17: 5-[3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 17; 339 mg, 0.97 mmol) to afford Compound 17 (12.0 mg, 3%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (dd, J=9.5, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.43-7.36 (m, 2H), 7.24-7.16 (m, 3H), 7.04 (s, 1H), 6.98-6.87 (m, 2H), 3.56 (s, 3H), 2.18 (s, 3H), 1.96 (s, 6H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 393.2/395.2.

Example 18: 5-[3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(4-chlorophenyl)cyclobutyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 18; 268 mg, 0.74 mmol) to afford Compound 18 (17 mg, 6%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.37-7.32 (m, 2H), 7.32-7.19 (m, 4H), 7.08 (dd, J=9.0, 1.7 Hz, 2H), 3.58 (s, 3H), 3.14 (ddd, J=12.1, 8.8, 5.4 Hz, 2H), 2.90-2.78 (m, 2H), 2.33-2.09 (m, 5H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 405.2/407.2.

Example 19: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[1-(m-tolyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(m-tolyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 19, 215 mg, 0.655 mmol) to afford Compound 19 (160 mg, 66%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.77 (dd, J=9.5, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.73 (d, J=1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (q, J=1.5 Hz, 1H), 7.26-7.14 (m, 3H), 7.09-6.98 (m, 3H), 3.59 (d, J=3.7 Hz, 3H), 2.30 (s, 3H), 2.20 (s, 3H), 1.72 (q, J=4.5 Hz, 2H), 1.58 (q, J=4.6 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 371.3.

Example 20: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-[1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]cyclopropyl][1,2,4]-triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 20, 429 mg, 1.12 mmol) to afford Compound 20 (120 mg, 25%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.80 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.78-7.72 (m, 1H), 7.53 (dd, J=8.0, 3.1 Hz, 2H), 7.42 (dd, J=4.9, 2.5 Hz, 2H), 7.35-7.30 (m, 1H), 7.20 (d, J=1.9 Hz, 2H), 3.59 (s, 3H), 2.20 (s, 3H), 1.80 (dd, J=7.0, 4.7 Hz, 2H), 1.64 (q, J=5.1 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 425.1.

Example 21: 5-[3-[1-(3-fluorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(3-fluorophenyl)cyclopropyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 21; 333 mg, 1.00 mmol) to afford Compound 21 (165 mg, 44%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.81 (dd, J=9.5, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.71 (s, 1H), 7.31 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.27 (dd, J=8.0, 6.1 Hz, 1H), 7.20 (dd, J=5.5, 1.7 Hz, 2H), 6.94 (ddd, J=9.6, 8.1, 2.1 Hz, 2H), 6.88-6.83 (m, 1H), 3.59 (s, 3H), 2.20 (s, 3H), 1.76 (dd, J=7.0, 4.7 Hz, 2H), 1.61 (dd, J=7.1, 4.8 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 375.2.

Example 22: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(1-phenylcyclobutyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclobutyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 22; 309 mg, 0.94 mmol) to afford Compound 22 (225 mg, 66%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (dd, J=9.5, 0.9 Hz, 1H), 7.42-7.32 (m, 5H), 7.31-7.27 (m, 1H), 7.23 (dd, J=9.5, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.08-7.03 (m, 2H), 3.57 (s, 3H), 3.17-3.08 (m, 2H), 2.87 (ddd, J=12.1, 9.1, 7.7 Hz, 2H), 2.29-2.11 (m, 5H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 371.3.

Example 23: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(1-phenylcyclopentyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclopentyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 23; 519 mg, 1.52 mmol) to afford Compound 23 (313 mg, 54%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.75 (dd, J=9.5, 0.8 Hz, 1H), 7.38-7.32 (m, 3H), 7.31-7.26 (m, 3H), 7.20 (dd, J=9.5, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 7.01-6.94 (m, 2H), 3.55 (s, 3H), 2.81-2.71 (m, 2H), 2.46-2.37 (m, 2H), 2.16 (s, 3H), 1.92 (dt, J=9.3, 4.5 Hz, 4H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 385.2.

Example 24: 5-[3-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]-1,3-dimethyl-pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-[1-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-methyl-ethyl]-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 24; 162 mg, 0.46 mmol) to afford Compound 24 (110 mg, 61%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.80 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.37 (t, J=1.8 Hz, 1H), 7.35-7.32 (m, 1H), 7.30 (t, J=7.7 Hz, 1H), 7.26-7.23 (m, 1H), 7.15 (s, 1H), 7.05 (dt, J=7.5, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 6.96 (dt, J=2.6, 1.9 Hz, 2H), 3.56 (s, 3H), 2.17 (s, 3H), 1.96 (s, 6H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 393.3/395.3.

Example 25: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 25; 430 mg, 1.21 mmol) to afford Compound 25 (355 mg, 74%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.39-7.35 (m, 2H), 7.33-7.27 (m, 4H), 7.20 (dd, J=9.5, 1.6 Hz, 1H), 6.96-6.88 (m, 2H), 3.55 (s, 3H), 2.66 (d, J=14.2 Hz, 2H), 2.29-2.20 (m, 2H), 2.16 (s, 3H), 1.94-1.83 (m, 2H), 1.72 (d, J=9.7 Hz, 3H), 1.56-1.41 (m, 1H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 399.3.

Example 26: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(2-phenylethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(2-phenylethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 26; 300 mg, 0.99 mmol) to afford Compound 26 (130 mg, 38%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.80 (dd, J=9.5, 1.0 Hz, 1H), 7.69 (dd, J=1.6, 1.1 Hz, 1H), 7.35-7.27 (m, 4H), 7.21-7.19 (m, 2H), 7.16 (s, 2H), 3.58 (s, 3H), 2.19 (s, 3H), 1.75 (dd, J=6.9, 4.5 Hz, 2H), 1.61 (dd, J=6.9, 4.5 Hz, 2H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 345.2.

Example 27: 1,3-dimethyl-5-[3-(1-methyl-1-phenyl-ethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]-pyridin-6-yl]pyridin-2-one

Following described experimental procedure for Example 1 and using 6-bromo-3-(1-methyl-1-phenyl-ethyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine (Intermediate 27; 479 mg, 1.52 mmol) to afford Compound 27 (149 mg, 27%) as a solid. ¹H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl₃) δ 7.78 (d, J=9.5 Hz, 1H), 7.39 (dt, J=28.3, 7.2 Hz, 3H), 7.33-7.26 (m, 2H), 7.22 (dd, J=9.5, 1.3 Hz, 1H), 7.09 (s, 1H), 6.91 (d, J=5.6 Hz, 2H), 3.55 (s, 3H), 2.16 (s, 3H), 1.98 (s, 6H). MS (ESI) [M+H]⁺ 359.3.

Biological Activity

Transcription of Human C-Myc in Human Leukemic MV-4-11 Cells

The effect of compounds on transcription of human C-Myc gene is monitored in human B-myelomonocytic leukemia cell line MV-4-11 (from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC), Manassas, Va., USA) using QuantiGene 2.0 assay kit (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, Calif., USA).

Typically, 8,000 MV-4-11 cells are plated in sterile 96-well plates (Costar #3598 from Fisher Scientific Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) in Iscove's medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum, glutamine (2 mM), and penicillin (100 I.U.) and streptomycin (100 μg/mL) (all from Wisent Inc., St. Bruno, Quebec, Canada). Compounds are dissolved in DMSO at 30 mM. A series of 1:3 dilutions are first made in DMSO, and further 1:100 dilutions are made in serum-containing cell culture media. The final concentration of DMSO is 0.1% in cell culture media. After cells are treated with various concentrations of test compound for 4 hours, cells are lysed using Quantigene 2.0 sample processing kit (#QS0100). C-Myc mRNA is detected using a QuantiGene 2.0 assay kit (#QS0009) with gene-specific probe to human C-Myc (#SA-50182) following the manufacturer's recommendations. Luminescence signals are read on Flexstation II microplate reader (Molecular Devices, Sunnyvale, Calif., USA). Percentage of inhibition of C-Myc transcription is analyzed using EXCEL (2010 version) (results shown in Table 2).

TABLE 2 Compound No IC₅₀ (μM) 1 0.253 2 2.345 3 0.495 4 0.156 5 0.146 6 0.461 7 0.085 8 0.158 9 0.183 10 0.484 11 0.090 12 0.100 13 0.269 14 0.089 15 0.250 16 0.226 17 0.590 18 0.563 19 0.088 20 0.061 21 0.158 22 0.074 23 0.085 24 0.090 25 0.054 26 0.835 27 0.227

Although the invention has been illustrated and described with respect to one or more implementations, equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Accordingly, it is understood that the examples and embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications or changes in light thereof will be suggested to persons skilled in the art and are to be included within the spirit and purview of this application and scope of the appended claims. Any publication, document, patent, patent application or publication referred to herein should be construed as incorporated by reference each in their entirety for all purposes. 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A compound having the following Formula IIIb:

wherein R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) and R^(b) independently represent hydrogen or a linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl, and R^(c) is linear or branched C₁-C₆alkyl, C₃-C₆cycloalkyl, C₆-C₁₀aryl, 3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl, 5-8 membered heteroaryl, (C₃-C₆cycloalkyl)C₁-C₆alkyl, (3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl)C₁-C₆alkyl, (C₆-C₁₀aryl)C₁-C₆alkyl or (5-8 membered heteroaryl)C₁-C₆ alkyl; and each alkyl is unsubstituted or substituted with 1 to 3 groups being halogen, CN, alkoxy or haloalkoxy, and each of cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocycloalkyl and heteroaryl is unsubstituted or substituted by 1 to 3 groups being halogen, CN, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy; or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.
 2. The compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein the compound is selected from


3. The compound of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R¹ is —C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) is H or methyl, R^(b) is H or methyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-7 membered heterocycloalkyl being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 halogen, CN, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy, and R^(c) is (C₅-C₆aryl)C₁-C₃alkyl or a group cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl, thienyl, furanyl, pyrrolyl, imidazolyl, pyrazolyl, triazolyl, tetrazolyl, oxazolyl, isoxazolyl, oxadiazolyl, thiazolyl, isothiazolyl, thiadiazolyl, pyridyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, triazinyl, [1,3]dioxolane, pyrrolidinyl, pyrazolinyl, pyrazolidinyl, imidazolinyl, imidazolidinyl, piperidinyl, piperazinyl, oxazolidinyl, isoxazolidinyl, morpholinyl, thiazolidinyl, isothiazolidinyl, tetrahydrofuryl or tetrahydropyranyl, each group R^(c) being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy.
 4. The compound of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R¹—C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) is H or methyl, R^(b) is H or methyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl or a 3-6 membered heterocycloalkyl, and R^(c) is benzyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or tetrahydropyranyl, each group R^(c) being optionally substituted by 1 to 3 halogen, alkyl, haloalkyl, alkoxy or haloalkoxy.
 5. The compound of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R¹—C(R^(a))(R^(b))(R^(c)), where R^(a) is H or methyl, R^(b) is H or methyl, or R^(a) and R^(b) are linked together to form a C₃-C₆cycloalkyl, and R^(c) is benzyl, cyclohexyl, phenyl or tetrahydropyranyl, each group R^(c) being optionally substituted by 1 or 2 halogen being F or Cl, methyl or —CF₃.
 6. The compound of claim 1, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, wherein R¹ is one of the following groups:

wherein X is F or Cl.
 7. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising a compound of claim 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient.
 8. A pharmaceutical composition, comprising a compound of claim 2 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, together with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, diluent or excipient. 